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Chapter 1 – The Black Ox Speaks

Under the pitch-black sky, an uninterrupted chain of mountains lay there like a huge beast, quietly awaiting the break of dawn.

A hamlet sat below a small hill shaped like a crouching ox.

“Li Er, get up and get to work!” A loud shout broke the silence. A middle-aged farmwife with a somewhat wide waist yelled at a cowshed.

Within a pile of straw in the cowshed, a skinny young man immediately jerked awake from his dream. He wondered in a daze, Where am I?

He had that dream again. In the dream, he lived in a city filled with towering skyscrapers; he would play with a mystical object called a computer, and the place had monsters of steel running amuck in the streets.

Finally, a monster called a BMW would run over him one day.

Afterwards, he jerked awake. That was right, he had transmigrated.

Over a dozen years later, the matters of his past life had seemingly become a dream.

Looking around the dirty cowshed and sensing the itch from mosquito bites, this clearly was not a good place. Probably no transmigrator was worse off than him.

Speaking of which, fifteen years should have passed already!

His parents of this life were the most ordinary of farmers in Crouching Ox village. Both of them had passed away when he was young, and his older brother had raised him. His elder brother was Li Da, so he was Li Er.¹

The village was not very sophisticated, so many villagers would spend their entire lives without a proper name. He only managed to give himself a proper name thanks to his knowledge from his previous life. He was called Li Qingshan.²

“Must you be buried in your place of home? Sufficient are the green mountains overgrown.” Since he had transmigrated, he needed to live a good life, no, a better life than his last. Only then would he not waste his second life.³

At this moment, he thought back to his childhood. He had recovered from the fear and confusion from his recent transmigration, and the grand ambitions of a transmigrator filled him. However, he soon discovered that he was hungry and had not eaten.

His brother and sister-in-law only treated him as a deadweight. They left all the tiresome and dirty work to him. He always ate the worst as well. They did not treat him like family at all.

At such a young age, he had nowhere to go. He could only attempt to behave like a child prodigy, but the local witch deemed ghosts to have possessed him, so she filled him with purging water against his will. Consequently, he never dared to act like that again.

As a result, the villagers continued to refer to him as Li Er. Li Qingshan was just a joke.

Li Qingshan’s sister-in-law shouted for a while. Upon noticing the lack of reaction, she rushed in and began swinging her bamboo stick, striking him mercilessly. “Lazy bones, why don’t you keep playing dead? Why don’t you keep playing dead!”

Li Qingshan was thinking about his past life, so his thoughts were momentarily a mess. He suddenly stood up and snatched the bamboo stick, glaring at the farmwife.

Seeing how the child from before was already a head taller than her, sister-in-law Li became slightly afraid. However, she remained as imposing as before. “Alright, Li Er. We’ve raised you after so much difficulty, yet you still want to be unreasonable! I’ll wait for your brother to get up. He’ll deal with you. If you don’t work, you can’t eat!” With that, she turned around and left.

After she left, Li Qingshan tossed aside the bamboo stick and sighed heavily. He arrived by the trough and said to a black ox, “Brother ox; oh, brother ox. I’ve already grown up. I don’t want to stay here any longer. However, I just can’t part with you.”

Before his parents passed away, they had split up the family property. His elder brother and sister-in-law had forcibly taken away the cottage and field. Now, he only had this black ox left.

Thanks to the ox, he could often help out the landowner, which was just enough for him to receive a full meal. If he only ate the pitiful remains from home, who knows how thin he would be. As a result, not only was he reluctant to treat it as simply an animal, he even referred to it with respect as ‘brother ox’.

The villagers all knew that Li Er could go without his big brother Li, but he could not go without his big brother ox.

The black ox had a glossy hide and was sturdily built. The care that Li Qingshan had given it was evident. However, it also seemed a little old and sickly. It was missing a horn as well, and the surface of the breakage was extremely smooth. It was like a sharp knife had cut it off.

The black ox looked at Li Qingshan with its moist eyes before standing up with vigour as if it could understand him. Li Qingshan mounted the ox in a proficient manner, and the black ox slowly made its way towards Crouching Ox hill.

Atop the ox, Li Qingshan raised his head. The many stars shone brilliantly with resplendence that the world lacked. Like an ordinary cowherd, he began playing a loud, clear reed flute.

The sounds of the flute echoed through the morning mist. Behind him, the village gradually woke up from its slumber.

Below Crouching Ox hill, the vegetation was lush and vibrant, and the green grass covered the ground like a mattress.

Using the first glimmers of daylight in the east, Li Qingshan looked west. The mountains rose and fell in an unending fashion, and the myriad mountains stood in the distance. It was said that not only were there wolves, tigers, and leopards, but there were even spirits and monsters. Even hunters dared not enter too deeply.

Li Qingshan had never seen a proper map in the village, so he was clueless of the geography of this world. He only knew that the mountains and valleys were towering, and the rivers and waterways were vast. Danger would fill these places, but there was also a great new world out there waiting for him to explore.

Li Qingshan had already made up his mind. He wanted to leave. In the end, he patted the ox’s back.

“Brother ox; oh, brother ox. You’ve grown old. If I sell you, they’ll definitely butcher you for your meat. The world is huge, so you should go. There are many wolves and tigers in the mountains, so do be careful.”

At a time like this, the smartest decision would be to sell the black ox and gather some money for travelling. He would have something to rely on once he arrived at Qingyang city. At the very least, he would not just starve to death on the streets. However, he refused to do that.

Any farmer would laugh if they heard such an immature decision, but he insisted on doing so.

“You call me big brother, so how can I bear to part ways with you?”

“I can accompany you for a thousand kilometres, but there will always be a time… when we must part…” Li Qingshan answered instinctively, but his voice gradually trailed off. He looked at the black ox with widened eyes as he felt all the hairs on his body stand up. He took a step back. “Monster!”

The black ox said, “Don’t be afraid; I won’t harm you.”

They had spent all these years together after all. Li Qingshan was not particularly afraid; he was just temporarily unable to take in this surreal situation. However, when he thought about everything he had been through, he calmed down. He probed with a frown. “Are you really brother ox?”

The black ox nodded in approval when he saw how Li Qingshan had calmed down so quickly. “Truly someone with innate knowledge.”

“What’s innate knowledge?” Li Qingshan immediately raised his guard. He did not want anyone to know that he had transmigrated. He could put up an act before other people, but he was not as cautious around the black ox. His behaviour that contradicted his identity and age at certain times must have caught its eye.

“Amongst the six realms of saṃsāra, beings that retain the memories of their past lives appear from time to time. That’s what innate knowledge is. You and I both have the memories of another identity. We’re not a regular farmer and ox. For us to be able to meet can be regarded as a form of destiny.”

“I see.” Li Qingshan eased up slightly inside. He had heard of something like this before, but at least the ox never exposed his identity as a transmigrator. “I never thought that this world would actually have monsters, and to think that I’ve raised one for over a decade. Why didn’t you talk in the past?”

“There wasn’t anything to talk about. I’ve never asked about where you come from, so don’t ask me where I come from either. All you need to know is what I can give you.”

“Give me… what?”

“Have you heard of superhuman abilities before?”

Before Li Qingshan could ask anything, the black ox continued, “These so-called superhuman abilities are the mighty abilities of demons and gods, ranging from moving mountains to filling seas to picking the stars and moon from the sky. Those who seek longevity can attain longevity, while those who seek eternal life will attain eternal life. Moreover, things like glory, wealth, money, and women can be brought to you with a simple flick. Does that interest you?”

The two words, superhuman abilities, basically encapsulated the desires of all living beings. Li Qingshan was only one of these living beings, so how could he not be interested?

His deeper feelings included disbelief; he was like someone who had spent over a decade blind before suddenly opening his eyes. Everything before him was so dazzling; all of it just seemed so surreal.

Li Qingshan restrained his excitement. “Brother ox, what kind of superhuman abilities do you want to teach me?”

The black ox shook his head. “You still don’t have the right to learn as of now.” He changed the topic. “If you want to practise superhuman abilities, you need to eat meat first!”

“What?” Li Qingshan doubted his ears. He felt that it was absurd. Why would the great abilities that could move mountains, fill seas, and pick the stars and moon from the sky be related to something so ordinary?

“The first step to cultivation is ‘refining vitality into qi’. You have to refine the vitality in your body into true qi. With how sallow you are right now, is there any vitality to be refined?”

Li Qingshan smiled bitterly. It was impossible for anyone with a childhood like his to grow up to be strong and sturdy. Was it not a joke for someone who even struggled when lifting a bucket of water to talk about moving mountains and filling seas?

“May I ask where the meat will come from?” It was not like Li Qingshan did not want to eat meat. Compared to those imaginary immortal pills and spiritual medicines, the taste of meat had been firmly embedded in his head. It was enough for him to think of it in his dreams, and he still cherished the memories even now.

However, for a poor kid who could not even stuff himself with coarse grains, where would the meat even come from? He could not help but stare at brother ox’s sturdy body, subconsciously carving it up into tenderloins, t-bone steaks, ribs, and all the different bits and pieces. His eyes shone green with gluttony.

The black ox smacked him over the head. “Don’t look at me like that.” He extended a hoof boldly at the myriad mountains in the west. “The meat is right there.”

Li Qingshan became alarmed instead of joyful. Being a hunter in this world was no easy job. None of the wolves, tigers, and leopards in the mountains could be trifled with. Additionally, with the black ox being a living example, the legends of supernatural creatures did not seem to be all tall tales. If he accidentally came across one, his life would basically be over.

However, the black ox only told him to not worry, telling him to go home and wait before running off and vanishing.

Li Qingshan made his way down the hill by himself. He was still unable to calm himself down from all the excitement. This was actually such a bizarre, colourful, and dazzling world. If he really could practise cultivation and attain enlightenment, traversing the entire world with all of its mountains green, the name he gave himself would not be wasted.

Li Qingshan returned home. His big brother had already gone to the fields, leaving his sister-in-law leaning against the entrance and eating melon seeds. She rolled her eyes a few times upon seeing him. The wives of other people would all begin the household chores or do some weaving to cover the costs of basic necessities when their husbands went out to work. However, she was renowned within the village for being a lazy wife. She tossed all the chores to Li Qingshan, and she had never touched a loom before either.

Li Qingshan just ignored her and directly entered the house. He lifted the lid of the pot to have a look. Let alone a hot meal, there were not even cold leftovers.

The sister-in-law said dripping with ambiguity, “Our house has no rice to spare for idlers. Why don’t you take the ox with you to caretaker Li for work?” Suddenly, she noticed that the ox was not present and asked, “Where’s the ox?”

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1. Li Da basically translates to Li the First or Li the Older and Li Er to Li the Second or Li the Younger. A slightly more formal way of referring to them would be Li Dalang and Li Erlang, but it means the same.

2. Qingshan means green mountains.

3. This is part of a poem written by either the famed samurai Saigō Takamori or Qing dynasty official Zhang Tingyu; this was popularised by chairman Mao Zedong, whose father had written for him when he set out to study. In any case, the ‘green mountains (overgrown)’ refer to any old place in the world. It implies that men should venture out in the world bravely and attempt to attain greatness instead of being held back by their attachment to home.

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Chapter 2 – Cultivating by Eating Meat

“I lost it,” Li Qingshan replied in a detached manner as if he had just been pulled out of a fantasy world to a cruel reality.

“Then go look! If you lose our ox, it’ll be a miracle if your brother doesn’t beat you to death when he comes home, you wastrel of a thing. If the ox is gone, you can go too!”

“That’s my ox!” Li Qingshan strided out from the house. If he still did not leave, he would probably fail to hold himself back from teaching this woman a lesson. However, if he really did that, he would no longer be able to remain in the house. As such, he could only yield.

It was not until dusk did he return to the cowshed in exhaustion. His eyes shone as he looked around the empty cowshed before gloominess overcame him again.

Aside from letting the ox out to graze and cleaning, Li Qingshan’s daily job was to lead the cattle to the landowner’s home to help out so that he could cover the expenses of some necessities.

Without the ox, he could only work like the other farm hands today; this was work that even adults found tiring, let alone a growing child like him. He had not even eaten breakfast.

Compared to his exhaustion, the insults and scolding from the farm head only seemed like an insignificant daily matter. Falling into the straw head-first, he no longer wanted to think about anything else, but his belly began to rumble.

It was obvious. In an environment like this, any aspirations he had would have been worn away completely, only leaving behind the instincts needed for survival.

Just when Li Qingshan was bleary-eyed, the thud of something heavy hitting the ground sounded. He opened his eyes and came face to face with something strange with a pair of long, white tusks. He could not help but jump in fright. Only when his head cleared up did he see that it was a wild boar. It had died recently, so it still emitted warmth.

The black ox crouched down before the trough and ‘smiled’ at him. Li Qingshan could already distinguish the expressions of the black ox to some degree.

Night fell. In the house, the sister-in-law grumbled to Li Qingshan’s elder brother, “That little bastard is completely hopeless. He actually managed to lose such a large ox. No, he must have sold it secretly. Nope, we have to split the property and break up the family. If this continues, he’ll bring ruin upon us.”

The elder brother was in his thirties. He had a large build and was known for being unreasonable and insolent in the village, but he was extremely submissive to his wife. “But if we do split, all that good land had been allocated to him before the village elders.” He had used Li Qingshan’s young age and inability to farm as an excuse to claim the land. He had no plans to return it, but if they planned on breaking up the family, they would be forced to.

“Hasn’t caretaker Liu been constantly eyeing that piece of land? Just sell it to him. If that little bastard is bold enough, he would go to caretaker Liu for his share.”

“But what if he doesn’t want to go forward with this?”

“Starve him for three days. Will disagreeing still be an issue then?”

As the two discussed, the sister-in-law suddenly sniffed. “Do you smell something?”

“How fragrant! Seems like someone is cooking meat!”

“There’s no festival right now, so what’re they cooking meat for? It seems… it seems to be near us.”

The two of them followed the smell and arrived inside the cowshed. All they saw was a propped up pot inside with a bonfire below. The pot bubbled as a delicious smell permeated the surroundings.

The fire flickered about in the darkness, projecting Li Qingshan’s shadow onto the walls.

The sister-in-law gulped. “Brat, where’d you steal the meat from?” Not only was she lazy, but she was even gluttonous as well. Looking at the pot of meat soup, she even forgot about how Li Qingshan had offended her. She went up and picked up the ladle, stirring the soup.

On the other hand, the elder brother had sharper eyes. He immediately spotted what Li Qingshan was sitting on and cried out, “A wild boar!”

Wild boars could be described as extremely dangerous amongst the creatures that roamed the mountains. Their hides were so thick and tough that they were difficult to wound even with blades. Even regular hunters would avoid them like the plague upon encountering them, so capturing one went without saying.

“When I was looking for the ox, I came across it at the foot of the mountain. It was injured, probably chased to its last breath by hunters,” Li Qingshan answered with the story he had prepared beforehand. He had to keep the black ox’s intelligence an absolute secret. Otherwise, once news of a daemon ox made its way out, who knows when the forces of heaven would come knocking.

The elder brother was half-convinced. He also began to smile. “Brother, you sure have a fool’s luck. Once I take this boar to the market, it’ll definitely fetch a good price. We’ll stow it away for when you get married.” He also took note of the black ox. Thinking to himself, Perhaps there is no need to be in such a hurry to break him off from the family. The ox can do some farm work, right?

Li Qingshan saw the sister-in-law stir the pot in a manner where she only wanted to try a piece of the meat. His good mood from cooking the meat immediately vanished. With a smack, he knocked away the sister-in-law’s hand. “Don’t fiddle around.”

The sister-in-law backed away while clutching her hand. She wailed, “Look at your younger brother. I said that he would harass a woman like me while you’re not home, and you didn’t even believe me. Now that it has all happened right before you, you’ve clearly witnessed it all.”

Harass you? Li Qingshan only felt his stomach lurch. If your surname is Pan, I guess I could be worse off.¹

The elder brother’s face immediately sank. “Is this how a brother-in-law’s supposed to act?”

Li Qingshan lowered his head. “I have my plans for this meat. I’m not young anymore. It’s time for us to separate.” This was something he had been considering while cooking the meat. He no longer wanted to yield in the face of constant abuse just to keep a roof over his head.

The elder brother never anticipated Li Qingshan to mention this matter before he could even bring it up. He was stunned at first before anger overcame him. A simple farmer like him was not a person who could hold back his anger. He clenched his fist and made his way up, planning to beat up Li Qingshan and drag away the wild boar before making any further decisions.

Sensing his hostility, Li Qingshan stood up as well. He was stern, but he felt rather afraid inside. His body had yet to develop completely, and after a day of tiresome work, he had not eaten. How was he supposed to face off against an adult man? He glanced at the black ox, but the bull only watched on like it was all a show, displaying no intention of helping out.

Just as he felt pained inside as he prepared himself for a beating, the elder brother stopped in his tracks and looked at Li Qingshan’s right hand.

His large, rough hands held a similarly crude knife. Since it was filled with impurities, it would still seem dull even if the blade was polished with care.

This was a knife that Li Qingshan had bought from the market with the money he had pinched and scraped together through the years. It had many uses. Earlier, he had used it to cut the meat.

Li Qingshan immediately understood that his elder brother was nervous. He was not nervous about himself but the knife. Before this moment, he had never realised that the low quality knife in his hands actually had the power to deter people.

Li Qingshan was only the average student in his past life. While he had been involved in a few fights before, they were merely disputes with fellow students. Even in his two lives combined, he had never pointed a weapon at someone.

Understanding this, Li Qingshan tightened his grip on the knife and purposefully waved it around like a wild beast baring its fangs; he did this despite being afraid of using it.

The elder brother immediately took a step back, and the sister-in-law stopped wailing about. In the end, the two of them actually backed out of the cowshed in great disappointment. They cursed him outside before returning to the house to discuss their ‘grand plan’.

Li Qingshan turned a deaf ear to it all. He even forgot about the smell of the meat. He only stared at his knife in a daze, which reflected a blurry face back at him. This piece of cheap junk that had cost him a few pieces of silver had just saved him from a physical beating. It had protected him from a series of humiliation and had protected his spoils.

While this was a principle that was as clear as day, he made him feel enlightened.

The black ox crouched before the trough and smiled at him.

The fire swayed, and a huge figure stood with a knife on the wall. At that moment, a youth had understood the exact value of strength.

Quite a while later, Li Qingshan sat back down and scratched his cheek in embarrassment as he looked at the pot. “Just how much longer does the meat need to cook for?” He had always been a person who liked meat with his meals. The past few years had really been tough for him. When their parents were still with them, he could get a few mouthfuls whenever there were festivities. Ever since their passing, he could only forget about it. The amount of meat they had was not even enough to feed the sister-in-law alone.

Even if a bottle of immortal pills were placed before him right now, it would not make him care as much as the pot of meat.

The boar was rather large. The pot of meat took half the night to cook.

The rising flames, the permeating fragrance, the hissing sounds, and the absorbed teenager formed an extremely simple and primitive scene despite the absence of a sentimental and poetic nature.

In the end, there was not even a grain of salt, let alone other seasonings, but Li Qingshan wolfed it down so fast that he almost swallowed his tongue. Without the slightest care about how fatty or lean the pieces were, several pounds of meat entered his belly. Finally, he even polished off the meat soup completely.

If someone were to ask Li Qingshan right now what happiness was, he would definitely reply that happiness was a pot of meat soup.

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1. The latter sentence is a reference to one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, Water Margin. Within the story, there is a character by the name of Wu Song. His elder brother, Wu Dalang (Essentially translates to Wu the Elder), ends up marrying a beauty, Pan Jinlian, despite his own dwarf stature and unimpressive appearance. Before long, Pan Jinlian commits adultery with a local merchant by the name of Ximen Qing. Wu Dalang ends up finding the two of them in bed, before being injured by a kick to the abdomen. Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing end up poisoning Wu Dalang to his death before bribing the coroner for a quick cremation and keeping his silence about Wu Dalang’s true cause of death, as well as the magistrate. You can keep reading about it here, but in short, the author’s implying that while the sister-in-law’s a two-sided bitch, she’s still better off than the treacherous Pan Jinlian, but she’s still being compared to Pan Jinlian at the end of the day.

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Chapter 3 – An Insulting Separation

Li Qingshan lay in the straw in complete satisfaction. He spread out his arms and legs, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

He did not dream of his past life that night.

In the house near the cowshed, the couple tossed and turned under the torment of the smell of meat. They only fell asleep in the dead of the night.

The next morning, as soon as the roosters had crowed thrice, a short fatty in emerald-green silk garments arrived at the edge of the fields. He was none other than the greatest landowner in the tiny Crouching Ox village, master Liu. He was also the caretaker Liu that the elder brother and sister-in-law had mentioned. He had worked as a caretaker for a wealthy clan in the past. Eventually, he was excused due to his age, returning home with wealth.

However, he still wanted others to refer to him as caretaker Liu to stress his vastly different status and identity compared to these bumpkins; he also used this title to differentiate himself from the regular landowners. At the same time, since he had used various methods to swallow up most of the land in the village, he gained another elegant name, Half-village Liu.

If Half-village Liu had any ambitions, it would obviously be becoming Whole-village Liu. However, the matter could not be hurried. As his old master in the city would have described it, this ambition required gradual scheming to fulfil. He believed that he could complete this dream in the remaining years of his life. By then, everyone in the village would be his workers, and he would be the local despot. He would be able to do whatever he wanted.

However, caretaker Liu currently felt rather displeased. There were not a lot of workers on his land right now. He waved his plump hand. “Why’re there only these people? Where are the others?”

A worker wore a smile. “Caretaker Liu, they’ve gone to help Li Er build a house.”

“Li Er? Which Li Er?”

“That cowherd!”

“Of course I know who it is. Where’d he get the money from?”

“The kid’s got dumb luck. He just came across a huge wild boar. He’s giving a huge chunk of boar meat to everyone in the village who’s willing to help him build a house. They’re at the bottom of Crouching Ox hill right now. It’s quite the news currently.”

“Then why aren’t you going?”

“I’ve fallen out with him in the past,” the worker said in an embarrassed manner. He regretted this deeply. That was meat, for god’s sake! When did he normally get to eat meat?

Caretaker Liu twiddled his mustache. “Let’s go. Let’s take a look as well.”

After waking up, Li Qingshan began to busy himself with the matter of separating from the family. The priority right now was to build a proper house for himself. He could not depend on others anymore.

In the past, he lacked the ability to do so, but many issues could be readily solved with the boar. With just a call, many people would be willing to help him. He had essentially witnessed the wonders of pork in this world.

Below the Crouching Ox hill, the willow trees offered shade, and the flowers bloomed brightly. It offered wonderful scenery. In his previous life, such a place would either be a tourist attraction or part of a wealthy person’s estate. He would never be able to claim it for himself. Moreover, this place was far away from the village, so it was suitable for him to keep secrets here. He could converse with the black ox at ease.

Li Qingshan stood within the crowd of people and directed them around. He felt an indescribable sense of joy. He slightly understood why the black ox had told him to eat meat. It was not just to strengthen his body.

If an impoverished person had to busy themselves all day long just to fill their bellies, how could they still be interested in doing anything else, much less seek enlightenment?

Caretaker Liu stood in the distance and glanced at it all. He muttered to himself, “That means the brothers are separating.” He happened to see the Li couple watching from afar. As they watched their own family build a new house, not only did they show no joy, but even they ground their teeth in resentment instead. As a result, caretaker Liu came up with a plan and walked over with a smile.

In just a dozen or so days, a new house was built, and everyone dispersed with their boar meat.

Li Qingshan looked at his new house in satisfaction as he stood within the small courtyard surrounded by a fence. It was just a regular mudbrick house with a thatched roof, but this was both his new home and his first step to settling down and pursuing his interests in this new world.

In the past few days, he ate meat everyday, recovering a healthy glow. He felt more confident just by standing there. It had only been around half a month, but he seemed to have grown by a few centimeters.

Just as Li Qingshan felt delighted, a grey-haired and wrinkled old woman strolled into the courtyard. She said as if she were leaping in fright, “Li Erlang, your house is badly built. It’s highly ominous!”

Li Qingshan frowned. This person was the local witch. When he was young, she had filled him up with purging water. She would act in a mystifying, deluding manner all day long to deceive the ignorant and unsophisticated villagers. He had never felt any goodwill towards her, but she held great prestige in the village. People would ask for her fortunes for events that happened in the village such as funerals and weddings. Obviously, there would always be many offerings to the gods when she did divine for them.

Li Qingshan did not want to give her the cold shoulder either. He bowed towards her. “What brings you here?”

The witch did not even look at him. She glanced around the house’s interior and said, “There’s yin qi. There’s evil in there. Fortunately, I’ve come prepared.” She held a clay jar of water in one hand and a willow branch in the other. She dipped the willow branch in the water and sprinkled it through the house and courtyard randomly as she called out a mess of things, “Begone, begone…”

Li Qingshan was unable to stop her, having no other choice than to let her do her thing. He was already convinced about the existence of ghosts and gods, but he highly doubted the existence of some yin qi or evil here. After all, there was an actual daemon with him. If something were wrong, the black ox would obviously tell him. There would be no need for her.

After sprinkling the water, the witch acted like she had just helped Li Qingshan tremendously, babbling a great deal once again. She went on about how Li Qingshan was fortunate enough and all of this had been granted by the god, and how now was the time to send the god off. As for the best item to offer to the god, it was obviously the huge head that had remained from the wild boar.

Only then did Li Qingshan understand the reason for her appearance. “It’s probably not to feed the god but to feed you, right?”

The witch flew into a great rage over Li Qingshan’s snide comment. She straightened herself up and said in a different voice, “Li Qingshan, ignoring the advice of this god will bring calamity unto you.”

Li Qingshan knew this was her act of inviting a god to possess her body. When regular villagers were met with this move, even the brave ones would pale in fright and kneel down and smack their heads against the ground. Even the Li Qingshan of the past dared not take her lightly, but it was all different now. He crossed his arms like he was looking at a joke. “Everything, whether good or bad, is brought on by man himself. What’s it got to do with gods? Please leave!”

Seeing how this move of hers was actually ineffective, the witch awkwardly turned back to normal. She said sinisterly, “Just you wait!”

Soon after the witch’s departure, calamity arrived as expected.

A villager came to tell Li Qingshan to pay a visit to the ancestral hall. The village was small, but it had many rules. In order to separate from his brother’s family, he needed to go to the ancestral hall to split the property before the village elders. However, that would only happen when one side proposed separation. Did his elder brother beat him to it?

Li Qingshan felt slightly uneasy, but the black ox had vanished off somewhere. He could only go with reluctance.

The so-called ancestral hall was just a small room at the end of a very long entrance, but it was one of the few masonry structures in the village. It enshrined the memorial tablets of the ancestors of the Li and Liu families.

A few elderly folk sat to the two sides of the pitch-black house. The one in charge was the village head of Crouching Ox village. He was in his sixties and was completely hunched over. He was also a member of the Li family. In terms of seniority, Li Qingshan even had to refer to him as grandfather.

The couple had already been waiting there. As soon as they saw Li Qingshan, they glared at him viciously, as if he would be afraid of them, with a slight pleasure of payback.

Li Qingshan ignored them, only greeting the various elders. Afterwards, they began to divide the family property with the village head presiding over the process.

Originally, Li Qingshan thought that all he had was a black ox and some land. However, the matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.

The village head was solemn and impartial, issuing Li Qingshan with many miscellaneous items. It was so elaborate that it came down to a single spoon, a pair of chopsticks, and so on.

Whenever an item was mentioned, the sister-in-law would twitch painfully, and her gaze towards Li Qingshan would grow more and more vicious.

Li Qingshan remained unfazed and composed. These day-to-day objects could all be used. It would save him repurchasing them all.

After a whole hour, the village head finally stopped and looked at both sides with his cloudy eyes. “Do you have any issues with this?”

The elder brother and sister-in-law both agreed to it, but Li Qingshan felt that something was off. “Grandfather, what about the bit of farmland?”

“What farmland?”

Li Qingshan was stunned. When his parents were about to pass away, they had been crystal clear about this right in front of the village head, as they were afraid that his elder brother would harass him. They wanted this elder of high prestige in the village to ensure fairness.

The sister-in-law had already started explaining it all, “You were young, so you didn’t know. The two old fogies borrowed money without returning it. It has been given away as compensation a long time ago.”

Li Qingshan was enraged. “What did you just call my parents? Why don’t you say it again?” His feelings for his parents were not particularly deep, but they were still the parents who had given birth to him in this life. How could he allow someone to insult them casually in public?

However, the elder brother had already shielded the sister-in-law, and a few men had walked in from outside too. Clearly, they had made preparations beforehand.

Li Qingshan noticed that these men were all scoundrels and ruffians of the village. Normally, they would just mess around, harassing men and seizing women. They were not people who would value their ties as fellow villagers. They would show no mercy if they took action.

The village head secretly cursed the stupid woman and sighed. “I’ve already checked the promissory note.”

“Where’s the note?”

The elder brother said, “We’ve already burnt it after taking it back.”

“May I ask who the money was owed to?”

The sister-in-law said complacently, “The village’s caretaker Liu. If you’re brave enough, go ask for it. I would like to see whether caretaker Liu will skin you alive or not. That’s right, I just want to harass you, you little ungrateful bastard.” The bit of land was good farmland. It sold very well, basically making up for them not getting any boar meat. She had made up her mind. She would buy a chicken to eat as soon as she got home.

Li Qingshan shook all over from anger. His nails dug into his palm.

With his experiences across his two lives, how could he not know the inside story? Farmers treated their land as their lifeblood. Why would they give it away as compensation so easily? Their parents had lived off the land for their entire lives, so why would they have to borrow money?

They were clearly working together against him. Having lost the land, he could only go work on caretaker Liu’s farmland if he wanted to be fed. No matter how furious he became, he had to endure it. It was truly well-schemed.

At home, Li Qingshan was treated coldly by his elder brother and sister-in-law, but at most, he was just slightly worse off for food and clothing. It was still acceptable, but it was nowhere near as twisted as right now. In his past life, he frequently browsed the internet and thought he had seen all the darkness society that had to offer. He even fumed and cursed over it. However, now that it all happened to him, he truly found it incredibly indignant.

If he yielded, even if it were just to follow the village’s arrangements, he would lose the opportunity to appeal the matter forever.

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Chapter 4 – Drunken Murder

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall grew tense. The village head’s expression sank. “What, Li Erlang, you’re not satisfied with my arrangements?” The ruffians began to rub their hands, eager for action, while the leader with patchy hair held a woodcutter.

The other elders either closed their eyes or tried to persuade him, “Xiao Er, don’t act rashly.” “You’re no match for them.” “Caretaker Liu is permitting you to keep helping out with work on his land. He’ll pay you a little more. Won’t you still be fed?”

Li Qingshan responded vaguely and left the ancestral hall somehow. As left, he was even tripped by the patchy-haired leader, almost falling over and leading to a roar of laughter from behind.

Along the way, he came across the witch. She smiled complacently. “A calamity, a calamity. It’s still not too late to give offerings to the god right now.”

Li Qingshan returned to his new house below Crouching Ox hill and lied down. He felt no happiness at all.

The sun set in the west, and the sky darkened. The crows of chickens and the barking of dogs gradually died down, and the village recovered its peace.

The black ox strolled in from outside. Li Qingshan sat up, and just when he was about to speak, the black ox said, “I saw it all, but I didn’t help you.”

“I didn’t want you to help me. I don’t care about that bit of land either. It’s just that I…”

“Just can’t let it go?”

“Yes.”

“There are plenty of matters in the world where right and wrong are twisted and distorted. Let alone the indignation that you, a mere mortal, experiences, even immortals, buddhas, and great sages of tremendous power will have times when they feel wronged and insulted. How can your little bit of anger be compared to theirs?”

Li Qingshan’s eyes widened. “But I don’t want to just take it lying down.” He suddenly thought of the knife again.

The black ox stared at him silently for quite a while before suddenly laughing aloud. “Good, good, good. As long as you can’t accept it. When a real man goes about his matters, he is clear with his debts of gratitude and revenge. Even the debt of a single meal must be returned, while the grievance of a hostile glare must be resolved. I originally thought your resolve had been worn down through the years, but you actually still have some manliness. And only like that are you worthy of me teaching you.”

Li Qingshan was dazed. “You were testing me?”

The black ox sniffed. “That’s a test? I just wanted to ask you which path you wanted to take.”

“Which path?” Li Qingshan was

“There is a myriad of paths in this world. There are paths where you swallow your anger and play safe, as well as paths where you stick by your weapon and die for a righteous cause. Humans have human paths, daemons have daemon paths, gods have god paths, and ghosts have ghost paths. Each path is glorious in its own way, and each path has its own trade-offs…”

As Li Qingshan listened to the ox go on about paths, he felt overwhelmed. Are you trying to sing that ‘path path path’ song to me? Reaching there, he interrupted the black ox, “I seek my own path!”¹

The black ox was taken by surprise before being overcome with joy. “You actually understood. That’s right. Among the myriad paths, you must seek your own path.” He pulled out a large gourd from somewhere, and it flew into Li Qingshan’s hands by itself. “Since you don’t want to take things lying down, I will teach you the way to not take things lying down.”

Li Qingshan only felt his hand droop. There was some sort of liquid sloshing around inside. After opening the gourd, the smell of alcohol assaulted him.

Li Qingshan smiled wryly. After eating meat, was he supposed to drink? This sequence of events seemed perfectly reasonable, but was there anyone who cultivated just by relying on these two items? If people could become immortals by eating meat and drinking alcohol, all the wealthy people in the world would have become immortals already.Were immortals all just useless gluttons?

The black ox only said eight words, “Meat strengthens the body. Alcohol gives you courage.”

Li Qingshan made up his mind and tilted his head, gulping down all the alcohol. It was just unfiltered alcohol from the village. However, with the gourd of alcohol in his belly, he felt the world spin around him. He stared at the black ox in a daze. Did the ox want him to drink away his anger?

“Go kill someone, and I’ll teach you how to cultivate.” The black ox said flatly, acting like it had just mentioned something insignificant. With that, it crouched down.

Li Qingshan only felt a chill rise up from his back. He suddenly realised that before him was not a diligent old ox who had ploughed the land across all these years with him, but an actual ox monster. It would not be guiding him on a tranquil, peaceful path of immortals and buddhas, but a malicious, brutal path of daemons and demons.

Before it had even taught him any great abilities, it wanted him to eat meat, drink alcohol, and kill someone.

Was he really supposed to go kill someone? Faces flashed before him. He hated these people, to the point where he wanted to kill them, but he knew that he was not brave enough to do so. The black ox had seen through this, which was why it made him drink to gain courage.

Was this to demonstrate his loyalty or a formality for accepting him as a disciple?

Recalling what had happened today, a sense of tipsiness swelled up and anger flowed out. Li Qingshan raised his head and took in a deep breath. He lowered his head. “Kill whom?”

“That’s your problem. Let me just say this first. I won’t help you, nor will I save you. I am just an ordinary ox.”

The moon was bright that night, scattering a frosty light on the ground. Li Qingshan walked under the moonlight alone, only to find that the moon was dazzling. He would much rather it be shrouded by a dark cloud.

The village was quiet. Li Qingshan swayed about in the village as he felt at a loss.

Arriving before a run-down house, he heard a hubbub from inside. Li Qingshan recognised them clearly. They were the ruffians from the ancestral hall today. He quickly pressed against the wall and crouched down, eavesdropping on what they were saying.

“Today’s alcohol came far too easily. We just stood around in the ancestral hall and caretaker Liu rewarded us with so much.”

Li Qingshan immediately recognised the voice. Patch-haired Liu was a renowned ruffian in the village. He would loaf around and be up to no good everyday. He had a vicious and twisted personality, often carrying a woodcutter around with him. The villagers were all rather afraid of him. Even when they found him stealing things, they were afraid to do anything to him. The other scoundrels followed him as their leader.

“This is all thanks to your might, big brother. Didn’t you see that kid’s face? He even turned pale from fright.” A roar of laughter rang out from inside.

Li Qingshan had no idea how he looked back then, but he was definitely bright red now. The tipsiness mixed with his anger and rushed to his head.

“It’s just a pity that the coward didn’t try to pick a fight. I haven’t used my arms and legs in a long time. Originally, I planned on using him for some practise. That kid never takes me seriously.”

Having experienced two lives, Li Qingshan was not as afraid of him as the ordinary villagers were. He had never thought that it would lead to hostility.

“Big brother, if you want to beat him up, it can’t be any easier. That idiot built his house outside the village. We can throw something over his head and give him a bashing. How simple is that? We might as well lead his ox away and sell it on the market. We’ll be able to get some money for drinking too.”

The other scoundrels all played along and agreed.

Li Qingshan let out a breath of alcohol and grasped the knife in his bosom.

Patch-haired Liu had been filled up with alcohol. He came outside to take outside, but he did not return inside afterwards. Instead, he made his way south of the village along a path.

Li Qingshan found this to be strange. He immediately followed along and saw him arrive before the house of the renowned widow Liu of the village, calling out for her to open the door. Only then did he understand what he wanted to do.

The door remained firmly shut, and not a single lamp had been lit up either. She was clearly afraid of him. There were a few cottages nearby, but everyone actually ignored him.

Under the influence of alcohol, patch-haired Liu let loose a great string of profanity and kicked the door viciously a few times. His swearing led to a series of dog barks around the village before he finally turned around and left.

The widow inside eased up a little and silently peeked outside through the door slit. As expected, patch-haired Liu had left, causing her to finally relax. Suddenly, there was a flash right before her, and she saw a figure following patch-haired Liu closely. It was dark, so she was unable to make out the figure’s appearance or attire. She only thought he was one of patch-haired Liu’s followers, but she could feel that something was rather off.

Li Qingshan followed patch-haired Liu to a remote area. Making up his mind, he yelled out and suddenly lunged forward.

Patch-haired Liu turned around in surprise, but all he saw was a dull knife stab towards him. He immediately became half-sober. He wanted to escape or fight back, but his arms and legs were powerless. Normally, he only used a blade to scare some villagers and would get involved in some scuffles. When did he truly experience an actual battle for his life? The assailant was just a teenager, but when his killing intent and determination flooded over, he was like a wild beast from the mountains.

Without any obstruction, the knife plunged into his body. Even Li Qingshan himself had never expected patch-haired Liu who swaggered around daily to be so useless. Looking at patch-haired Liu’s terrified, begging expression, he seemed to become even more drunk. His eyes shone with a dim redness as his head seemed to stop working. Only his hands continued to move constantly.

The sheen of the knife and the colour of blood danced about in the darkness.

By the time that Li Qingshan had calmed down, patch-haired Liu had already collapsed in a pool of his own blood. He could not be more dead than that. The heavy smell of blood under this moonlit night was slightly chilling.

Li Qingshan forcefully composed himself and left in a hurry. He ran all the way to the stream below the Crouching Ox hill in one breath before stopping. He looked at himself in the reflection of the water and could not help but leap in fright. “Is this still me?”

The water reflected a bloodied teenager, his mouth tightly shut and his eyes wide open with an undispersed sense of murderousness. It was extremely terrifying.

Li Qingshan cupped the cool stream water and washed all the blood off himself before returning to the cottage. He did not pay any attention to the black ox beside him. Instead, he directly collapsed on his bed.

Only now did his hands begin to shake; they were suddenly covered in cold sweat, drenching his clothes. He had completely sobered up now.

The black ox asked with a smile. “Aren’t you going to run away?” It was as if it were not the reason why Li Qingshan had gone and killed someone.

Li Qingshan replied, “I need to run away after killing someone like that?” He had not chosen patch-haired Liu on impulse. He was utterly wretched in the village. No one would stand forward for him. If no one reported the matter, there would be no investigation. As long as he did not leave behind any evidence that was far too obvious, nothing definite would probably come up over the death of such a person.

The approval in the black ox’s eyes deepened. Finding a common person who killed once angered was very easy, but finding someone who knew who to kill, who not to kill, and how to remain safe while killing was not. Moreover, even if his current composure were all fake, it would only demonstrate his willpower.

Li Qingshan could not hide his trembling hands from the black ox, but in its eyes, there was no shame in this. There were plenty of people who were so fierce and cruel that murder was nothing in their eyes, but to be able to suppress this nervousness and fear until now was truly impressive.

Quite a while later, the black ox asked, “How do you feel?”

“Utterly terrified and utterly exhilarated!” Li Qingshan was speaking from the bottom of his heart. After the fear passed by, there was actually a sense of indescribable delight. Most of his pent-up anger had vanished. Thinking back to when he read ‘Water Margin’, it was the same feeling from the chapters of Lin Chong Shelters from the Snowstorm in the Mountain God Temple and General Zhang’s Blood Spatters the Duck and Drake Bower.²

The black ox chuckled. “Get some sleep. There’s a lot to do tomorrow!”

Li Qingshan’s heart skipped a beat. He was overjoyed. “You mean…”

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1. The song might be referring to this.

2. Lin Chong Shelters from the Snowstorm in the Mountain God Temple is the name of chapter 10 of Water Margin, while General Zhang’s Blood Spatters the Duck and Drake Bower is the name of chapter 31. The translations for these chapter names are loosely borrowed from Sidney Shapiro’s translation of Water Margin, which you are more than welcome to check out and read.

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Chapter 5 – Nine Oxen and Two Tigers

The black ox did not reply. Instead, it closed its eyes.

Li Qingshan laid flat on the bed. He remained calm on the surface, but his emotions were surging uncontrollably on the inside. As a result, he was unable to fall asleep even till the early hours of the morning. However, once his heart that had been stretched tight by excitement finally eased up, he felt even more exhausted than after working an entire day on the farm. He immediately sank into a deep sleep.

That night, he dreamed of becoming the enemy of thousands, killing until mountains of corpses blotted out the sun and seas of blood swallowed the stars.

Waking up, his dream receded like the tides. Sunlight poured in brilliantly. It was already late in the morning.

Patch-haired Liu’s death was like a droplet of water to a pot of oil. It caused a great disturbance in the village. He had always been making trouble in the village, and now, he was finally dead. Basically all the villagers clapped and cheered, saying that it was retribution.

However, they then began to speculate about the person responsible for this. There were many people who had grievances with patch-haired Liu, but there were not many who were bold enough to settle it. There were no secrets in this tiny village. As soon as the villagers thought about what had happened in the ancestral hall the day before and how the person in question did not come to check out such a major event, they only became further convinced about their speculation.

“Li Erlang has committed murder.”

“He seems quiet most of the time, but he actually possesses such bravery.”

“He has probably fled already.”

As the quiet discussion continued, the elder brother and sister-in-law turned pale-white, while caretaker Liu and village head Li had sunken expressions. The scoundrels became so frightened that they were weak in the knees. If they had been the one who had gone out last night, wouldn’t they be lying there right now instead?

Someone called out, “Li Erlang is here.” The crowd automatically parted to form a path. Under everyone’s gazes, Li Qingshan strode over to patch-haired Liu’s corpse. He could not tell last night due to the darkness, but looking at it now, he also felt that patch-haired Liu had suffered a horrific death. However, he showed none of it on his face. All he said was, “Good riddance.” He glanced around at the crowd.

They all felt that Li Qingshan seemed to have become a completely different person overnight. He had become rather fearful. Everyone his gaze brushed past felt a chill run down their spines, while those who had been directly involved with him leaped in fright.

Village head Li said, “Tie up Li Er and take him to the ancestral hall.”

Crouching Ox village was simply too remote, so they were basically autonomous. A discussion among the village elders would decide everything. Even for murders, they had to capture the person first and then send them to the government offices. It was impossible to rely on the government officials to make an arduous journey of several dozen kilometres across mountains and rivers to a place like this to capture someone. As a result, the village basically never had any contact with the government, and people were directly judged in the village.

There was a disturbance among the crowd of villagers. Li Qingshan raised his eyebrows. “Who dares to?” Even without a weapon in hand, he possessed the deterrent of the murder, so he was like a drawn sword, shining with a cold edge.

Not a single villager stepped forward, and it was not only because they feared Li Qingshan. All people had a concept of right and wrong, and the thoughts of the villagers were simple. Village head, you’ve been colluding with tyrants to harass the kind-hearted, so what right do you have to order us around? We’ve all watched Erlang grow up as well. He even calls you grandfather, yet you can still bring yourself to do this. Patch-haired Liu deserved to die. Erlang has gotten rid of a menace for us.

“Patch-haired Liu drank too much and tripped to his death. What’s it got to do with Erlang?” The speaker was Zhang Wuge, who had a grievance with patch-haired Liu. Patch-haired Liu had tried to harass his wife while he was in the fields. Back then, he was tempted to throw his life at patch-haired Liu, and he only stopped under the bitter pleadings of his wife. Now that he saw this fellow’s corpse, he felt an indescribable sense of delight.

Someone added immediately, “Yeah, yeah. He fell to his death. This is heaven’s retribution.”

There was a hubbub of agreement as they echoed the sentiment that patch-haired Liu’s death was purely accidental. They completely ignored patch-haired Liu’s constricted pupils. Additionally, their gazes towards Li Qingshan bore some respect now.

Li Qingshan suddenly felt rather moved. This was the so-called will of the people.

Village head Li knew that if this continued, his authority in the village would be heavily affected. More importantly, he was truly afraid of Li Qingshan’s revenge. If he had known that this kid was so vicious, he never would have twisted his words for a few pieces of silver. Currently, none of the villagers heeded his order, while the other scoundrels were even worse than the villagers, having secretly slipped away already.

He could only glance at caretaker Liu. Caretaker Liu should have been able to order around the servants and workers of his home, but he pretended to not notice. It was the sister-in-law who insisted on selling the land to him anyway, and he was never directly involved in the matter either. He had a lot of matters to attend to, so why would he go up against such a vicious and brutal person over such a small affair? Moreover, it would be his loss if he accidentally aggravated the villagers.

Unknowingly, he had already begun treating Li Qingshan as a vicious and brutal person.

“Possessed by demons, possessed by demons. I’ve said so before, I’ve said so before.” The witch suddenly pointed at Li Qingshan and began wailing.

Her words fazed all of the villagers, causing them to move away from Li Qingshan involuntarily.

Li Qingshan went up and kicked her to the ground. “You old hag, how much longer are you going to falsely accuse me? If you utter another word, I’ll rip your mouth to pieces.”

The witch uttered an ‘Ouch’ before shutting up. She only stared at him in resentment.

Li Qingshan was composed and unafraid. “If you truly possess supernatural abilities, then you better get those gods and ghosts to come look for me. Let’s see whether I’ll be afraid or not.” With that, he left the crowd with his head held high. After he arrived at an area without any people, his imposing manner finally deflated. He only felt his heart thump heavily, but he knew that he had made the right move.

If he hid at home due to fear and gave village head Li time to mobilise the villagers, people would probably come for him before nighttime had even arrived. With his current stature, he was truly in no shape to take on a few adult men. He could only truly be safe and sound by making a risky move, overwhelming the others in terms of presence and swaying the public opinion to his side.

Returning to the cottage, the black ox had already been waiting. It examined Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan also noticed the strange atmosphere. He went up and bowed politely, raising his head and asking with a smile, “Brother ox, do you still want to hold a banquet for the acceptance of a disciple?”

The black ox said, “Hasn’t all of your wine and meat been acquired by me? Yetyou still want to hold a banquet for the acceptance of a disciple.”

Li Qingshan shrugged. “Then I’ll help you harvest some tender grass instead?”

The gaze of the black ox darkened. “Let’s stop kidding around. You have the heart to kill, which is why I will teach you the art of killing. In the future, you’ll have to contend and fight against a lot of people, so you won’t get another day of peace. If you aren’t skillful enough and end up getting killed instead, then you’ll only be able to die with no objections.”

“The strong prey on the weak. It’s the same no matter where you go. I can’t say no objections, only no regrets.”

The black ox replied, “Well put, no regrets. Since you’ve made up your mind, I will pass onto you the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. Once you attain the strength of an ox and have established a foundation, I’ll then pass onto you the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. By practising them together, you will be able to attain a supernatural ability from daoism, the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers. By then, you will be able to wander the world unopposed.”

“The Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers?” When Li Qingshan first heard that, it seemed like nothing special. What was so extraordinary about nine oxen and two tigers? They were just the most ordinary of livestock and wild beast, yet they were worthy of being called a supernatural ability, enough for him to wander the world unopposed?

However, after further thought, he felt shocked. He had tended to an ox for more than a decade, so he understood just how strong an ox was. A bull had the strength of ten fit men. As long as he achieved the strength of an ox, he could don a suit of armour, and with a weapon in hand, he could charge onto the battlefield and earn the title of a valiant general.

There was nothing extraordinary about nine oxen and two tigers, but if all of their strength were gathered on a single person, the person’s every single action would bear the weight of thousands of kilograms. Would there still be anyone who could stop him? Even if Lü Bu was reborn and Li Yuanba was still alive, they would also struggle to block a gentle punch of his.

“But since it’s a daoist ability, why’s there ‘ox demon’ and ‘tiger demon’ in the name?”

“The ability originated from times of antiquity. It has already been lost now.”

Li Qingshan became excited after hearing the ox mention times of antiquity. Based on his knowledge, any kind of pill, medicine, esoteric manual, or treasure that had anything to do with that phrase would be unmatched.

However, the black ox’s following explanation disappointed him greatly, as the ability had been lost due to being too hard to use. It had been replaced by other abilities and skills created by later prodigies and masters. In other words, it had fallen obsolete.

The wise men of antiquity were impressive, but the people who came after them might have been just as great as them. Besides, they would be standing on the shoulders of these wise men of antiquity.

“Cultivators of the current age focus on practising qi and neglect practising the body. They even call their bodies vile skin-bags. This ability that pursues brute strength will obviously be looked down upon.”

“Heh, but there’s no need for you to be too disappointed. The ability I’m teaching you is no longer the original version. Instead, it has been improved by an almighty daemon, which is why it has ‘ox demon’ and ‘tiger’ demon in its name. The ox demon refines its body, while the tiger demon forges its bones. You will be entering cultivation through demonic means. Just like how the righteous grows by a foot while the demonic grows by ten, it’ll be much more powerful.”

“Are there any side effects to practising this ability as a human?”

“I don’t know, as nobody has tried it before. You might suffer from cultivation deviation and become a daemon or demon.”

The black ox said it easily, but Li Qingshan could only smile wryly. If it were just practising a long lost ability from times of antiquity, then so be it. At most, he would just be a freak and be laughed at by other cultivators. However, practising this ability that had been modified through daemonic methods might turn him into a monster. He might end up getting purged.

However, now was not the time for him to be picky. After a while of consideration, Li Qingshan inhaled deeply. “Please teach me this ability, brother ox.” If someone could understand his desire to change his fate right now, they would understand that even if a demon gave him an offer, he would have accepted it.

The black ox explained the essentials of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength to him in detail, and Li Qingshan immediately began to practise it. He tried every gesture and motion, exercising his body and moving his limbs around.

Under the dazzling sun, there was an old ox and a young man under the swaying tree shade. The old ox crouched down leisurely and gave guidance as the young man remained solemn and respectful, listening quietly and attentively.

Although the black ox was unable to personally demonstrate the moves, its every single sentence would always hit the mark, enlightening Li Qingshan and deepening his understanding of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. His movements would grow more vigorous as a result.

The black ox seemed unconcerned, but it was very satisfied with this disciple’s comprehension ability. He was truly a person with innate knowledge. Someone like him would never remain in the underbrush for long. He was unfortunate to be born in a village deep in the mountains, which was quite a mishap. He was a dragon in shallow water, a tiger in the plains.

If he had been born in a prosperous city, his talent for both martial arts and literary pursuits would have demonstrated itself already. He would have become a man of outstanding talent, without the need to be indicated by a few foolish villagers.

However, exactly because of this, the ox was able to get its hands on such a great diamond in the rough. Moreover, it was not like it only wanted to raise him into a man of talent.

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Chapter 6 – Settling a Small Grievance

Who knows how many so-called prodigies of startling talent the black ox had seen before. Every single one of them would be naturally endowed with talent and divine fortune, but only a handful would actually achieve something in the end. Instead, many ordinary, nameless folk would spring into prominence overnight, making themselves known through the world as they reached the pinnacle of this path of cultivation.

Throughout these years, it had purposefully stood aside and watched on coldly, letting Li Qingshan be strengthened through hardships. It had only spoken out at the most crucial moment. It was like a blacksmith, slowly refining and tempering its material. Only then could a supreme weapon be forged.

Ordinary people cared about foreign aspects like talent, fortuitous encounter, and so on, but the ox looked at a person’s willpower. If you were someone with a weak will, even if you were given a colossal fortune, could you bear the weight that came with it?

So and so, one was willing to teach and the other was willing to learn, so they obviously made rapid progress. In under two hours, Li Qingshan gained a rough understanding of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. He had vaguely grasped its essentials.

Although the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength was a set of punching moves, it focused on forging the muscle and the bones, the skin and the flesh, strengthening the body. The actual way of punching was secondary. There were only three forms, which were ‘The Ox Demon Butts its Horns’, ‘The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves”, “The Ox Demon Forges its Hide”. They were all the foundational forms of the fist style, able to unleash complexity with its simplicity and lead into countless moves.

Of course, grasping it was one matter, while practising it was something else. If he wanted to achieve something with it, he would need an accumulation of practice over time. As for the two basic items required to practise this ability, Li Qingshan had already seen them. They were meat and alcohol.

Regardless of the ability or technique, it was impossible to create something from nothing. It could not grant people with tremendous strength and might for no reason. There had to be a process of absorption and conversion, whether it be through gathering the essence of the sun and moon or by absorbing spiritual qi of the world. Once a profound level was attained, they would be able to feed off the wind and dew and stop eating. It would be replacing normal food with the spiritual qi of the world.

Li Qingshan was just a mortal, so how was he supposed to connect with the spiritual qi of the world? He could not find immortal pills or medicines either, so he could only start with the most ordinary of items to rapidly replenish and refine his vitality.

Even though Li Qingshan had eaten a few days of meat, his body was still not strong. He barely managed to go through the three forms. Afterwards, he was dripping in sweat and panting hard as his stomach grumbled.

Enduring until midday, he felt like he had been starved for three days. He wolfed down all of the remaining wild boar meat in a single stroke. His appetite was actually even greater than when he ate the boar meat for the first time.

He was not allowed to lie down and rest at midday either. Instead, he had to meditate and nurture his vitality, sensing for some feeling of qi that was supposed to exist. He did this until his body had mostly recovered. After that, he would practise the fist style again. He repeated this several times. By dusk, Li Qingshan was utterly exhausted. He did not even have the willpower to lift another finger.

Three figures secretly stumbled their way to the outside of Li Qingshan’s house. Li Qingshan heard the activity and made his way out, only to see the three scoundrels who frequently messed around with patch-haired Liu. He was afraid that they had come to avenge their brother, so he could not help but groan inside. Currently, he was completely spent, so how could he take them on? Even if it were some other time, he would not be able to match three people working together.

However, he never expected the three of them to react like rats to a cat as soon as they saw him. They all lowered their heads and exclaimed, “Spare us!”

This surprised Li Qingshan. It made him ask, “Why have you come here?”

He had never imagined that the three rascals would be utterly frightened after witnessing patch-haired Liu’s corpse. They were afraid that Li Qingshan was still not satisfied after killing patch-haired Liu and wanted to come for them tonight, which was why they had reluctantly come to explain themselves. They said that all of their actions had been urged and impelled on by patch-haired Liu, so it was all his fault as the leader. They also added that caretaker Liu was behind it all.

Li Qingshan said, “Say no more. I already know all about this.” That night, he had heard it loud and clear, but of course, he could not admit he was patch-haired Liu’s murderer.

The three scoundrels shivered inside. Thinking of how this fiend was right outside the window that night, they felt more and more afraid.

Li Qingshan could understand why these three were so afraid to a certain degree. In his past life, there had once been an escaped murderer on the loose in the small city he lived in. Various rumors sprang up everywhere, scaring everyone from staying out at night. He had now gained the influence of a murderer.

There were different levels to bad people too. The three scoundrels were just ‘small evils’ who committed theft. Against a ‘great evil’ like him, they could only follow him around obediently and submissively. His expression remained the same, but he felt rather strange inside. He had yet to gain any supernatural abilities. However, from a few mental changes, his status in the village had undergone an overwhelming upheaval.

These changes had all been caused by the black ox. Perhaps this was changing the bad for good as well!

Li Qingshan ignored them. He barely managed to go through the entirety of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength once more. This time, the three of them were present, so he practised especially diligently. He knew that he was only putting on a bravado right now. Once people discovered that he was at the end of his rope, the consequences would be inconceivable.

The three scoundrels watched on from the side carefully. In all the years they had spent in the village, they had never heard that Li Qingshan knew martial arts. In the setting sun, Li Qingshan’s movements were valiant and filled with force, so he clearly was not fooling with them. They could not help but think about what the local witch had said. Perhaps a demon had truly possessed Li Qingshan.

They watched the sky grow darker and darker, becoming so frightened that their calves twitched from fear. They wanted to leave, yet they were unable to bring themselves to mention it. They were afraid Li Qingshan would suddenly reveal his true form and swallow them all in a single gulp.

Li Qingshan finished practising and ordered, “Come with me.” He made his way out of the courtyard by himself. The three scoundrels looked at each other and had no other choice but to follow him.

Right now, there were many villagers eating at the entrance of their houses. Those who were familiar with Li Qingshan greeted him carefully, while those who were not fled back into their houses in a hurry to hide. Even though they had protected Li Qingshan during the day out of righteous anger, there was not a single person who did not feel fear when they faced this murderer.

The three scoundrels usually hung out with patch-haired Liu. Patch-haired Liu used his cruelty to earn some respect in the village, but they were disliked by all, so when had they ever been so imposing before? They temporarily forgot about their fear and instead became complacent. If they could follow Li Erlang, they would have far more glory than before.

There were also old people who sighed. Although the scourge patch-haired Liu was gone, there was probably an even greater scourge now. At least patch-haired Liu had not claimed the life of someone. Everyone had not been as afraid of him.

Li Qingshan experienced an almost novel feeling as well as he walked down this path he had taken countless times in the past. He had clearly realised that he was no longer the Li Qingshan of the past. Arriving before a cottage, he thought about how he had been frustrated by poverty right here just a while ago, and emotions temporarily overcame him.

Inside, the elder brother and sister-in-law pressed against the door as they shook in fear. The elder brother held a thick stick, while the sister-in-law held a kitchen knife. How could they not fear the same thing that the scoundrels had been worried about? However, compared to the scoundrels, they held the money from selling the land. If they yielded to Li Qingshan, the money would no longer be theirs.

As a result, they did not even do farmwork today. They only remained home and discussed between themselves for the whole day. In the end, it was still the elder brother who made the decision. “He’s just a single person. Are we supposed to be afraid of him? If he comes, I’ll eliminate this vile spawn for the sake of the Li family.” However, soon after he uttered those bold words, he saw Li Qingshan arrive with the three scoundrels, and he immediately fled back into the house to hide.

Li Qingshan said, “Drag them out.”

The three scoundrels were frightened by his might, so they dared not disobey him. They had plenty of experience in harassing ordinary people like them. They barged in and made a ruckus, and the couple immediately laid down their weapons and surrendered. They did not dare to fight back. They only ended up becoming ashen from fright as they trembled uncontrollably.

“Brother, brother, what are you trying to do?” The elder brother forced out a smile that was even uglier than weeping.

Li Qingshan said, “I haven’t come for you. He said to the sister-in-law, “You accursed bitch, I can turn a blind eye to how you insult me normally, but how dare you insult my parents yesterday? You won’t be spared today.”

After he glared at her, the sister-in-law’s legs shook like jelly. She lost her usual impudence completely. “Xiao Er, I was just blabbering nonsense. I’ve looked after you for all these years. We’re a family.”

Li Qingshan sneered. “A family? It wouldn’t have mattered if you hadn’t mentioned that, but now that you have, we still have debts to settle. Let’s talk about the rubbish you said yesterday. What should we do about that?”

A skinny, monkey-like scoundrel sucked up to him. “Is there any need for big brother to personally take action? I know exactly what to do.” As he said that, he rolled up his sleeve and swung his hand toward the sister-in-law’s face.

Li Qingshan caught the scoundrel’s arm. He was truly tempted to do this in the ancestral hall yesterday, but looking at them tremble, he was slightly unable to bring himself to. He thought about how the two of them were still his elder brother and sister-in-law after all. How could he let them be harassed by the hand of a scoundrel?

However, what had to be done, had to be done. He came up with a good idea and said to his elder brother, “Weren’t the people she cursed your parents as well? Don’t you know that you should teach her a lesson?”

The elder brother came to a realisation. “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Afraid that Li Qingshan would be unsatisfied, he slapped his wife a few times viciously with enough force. The sister-in-law’s cheeks immediately began to swell.

Li Qingshan instead felt that his elder brother took great satisfaction in hitting her. Perhaps he was using this opportunity for revenge. Anyways, most of his anger had subsided. He asked, “You say we’re a family, so let me ask you, where is the money from selling the land?”

The sister-in-law’s face that had become red from the swelling immediately paled, while the elder brother fell silent. That money was their flesh and blood. Li Qingshan was slicing away at their flesh this time! Compared to returning the money, they would much rather suffer a beating instead.

The sister-in-law suddenly became unreasonable and tried to make a scene. “Just beat me to death. If you beat your sister-in-law to death, I would like to see whether the government will come for you or not. I don’t know what this money is about. If you want it, go ask caretaker Liu for it!”

Li Qingshan roared. “Do you really think I would be afraid to do so?” He was no longer putting on an act. The murderous aura from killing patch-haired Liu last night seemed to have returned to him with nightfall. The bloodied, wide-eyed teenager in the reflection of the stream had already become part of him.

The three scoundrels on the side only felt a chill and could not help but take a step back. They looked at Li Qingshan fearfully.

Having to face the roar directly, the couple were petrified. They had never seen someone so terrifying before in their lives. They struggled to imagine that this was the Li Erlang who had lived with them for over a decade.

In the end, a bag of silver pieces was handed to Li Qingshan. He weighed it in his hand and looked at the ghastly pale couple. He sighed inside. Just for the sake of this pitiful amount of silver, Li Qingshan ended up coercing his own brother so much. He turned around and left, and the three scoundrels followed him in a hurry.

Just when the sister-in-law wanted to sob painfully, the bag of silver flew through the air in an arc, landing before them with a thud.

Li Qingshan’s voice rang out from afar. “You might have treated me like a slave, harassing and degrading me, but exactly because of you, I was able to live until now. From today onwards, our slate is cleaned. We no longer have any connection.”

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Chapter 7 – Swearing a Great Oath

With the silver recovered, the couple was pleasantly surprised. The sister-in-law even ignored the pain from her face and stuffed the bag of silver into her clothes in a hurry.

The three scoundrels looked at one another speechlessly with faces of admiration. That was quite a lot of silver, enough for them to squander for quite some time, yet it had actually been tossed aside so easily. Originally, they had only felt fear, but there was now much more respect in their gazes towards Li Qingshan’s back.

Previously, they had thought a real man who kept his debts of gratitude and revenge so clearly distinguished was only something storytellers had cooked up. They had never thought they would actually be able to witness someone like that. He was able to do this despite being at such a young age, so he would definitely become a great man in the future. Their feelings of despisal towards Li Qingshan due to his young age had completely vanished now.

Li Qingshan strode at the front. As the sun set in the west, the green mountains stood alone. He felt extremely relaxed and at ease, as if an invisible burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Energy filled his body out of nowhere such that even his exhaustion disappeared. He could vaguely feel that if he practised the Ox Demon’s Strength of Fist right now, it would definitely flow much smoother than usual.

In reality, this was not a mere feeling. Whether it be abilities of daoism or regular martial arts, it had to conform with the practitioner’s mood. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Strength was a cultivation method of being unencumbered. It required a clear mind, requiring him to advance courageously and diligently.

Li Qingshan had settled this debt in a satisfying manner, so it no longer cast a shade over his heart. Evidently, it had coincided with key aspects of the cultivation method.

Returning to his house, Li Qingshan looked at the three scoundrels with shining eyes. “Thank you for earlier.” If it were not for the pressure from the three scoundrels, his elder brother and sister-in-law would have never yielded so easily. If they began to use violence with the stick and the knife, there really would not have been anything he could have done. He might have ended up suffering instead.

He came to a realisation. He had never thought that his trip would be so successful, and he also understood the benefit that came with a numerical advantage. Even the Ox Demon King needed six sworn siblings, let alone him! Of course, the three scoundrels were not worthy of becoming his sworn brothers.¹

The three scoundrels replied hastily, “How can you say that, big brother? You are the bigger man, not bickering with us. We cannot thank you enough. Patch-haired Liu, that ungrateful wretch, deserved far more than just death. When we followed him in the past, we were so offensive…”

Li Qingshan waved his hand and interrupted them. “The past is the past.”

With Li Qingshan’s word of honour, the three scoundrels all felt at ease. Ideas began to spring forth in their heads, and they all began to fawn over him. They became emotional to the point that they went on to say they basically wanted to burn a few blades of grass with him and become sworn brothers.

Across both of his lives, Li Qingshan had never been sucked up to and spoken so highly of like this. Although it all came from the mouths of three scoundrels he looked down on, he could not help but feel flattered and proud of himself. However, becoming sworn brothers was impossible. After averting their requests in a perfunctory manner, he sent them off.

The black ox that crouched to one side asked, “Why didn’t you agree? They’re willing to follow you as their leader. You can form your own group, and the village will only become safer and safer to you. If anything happens, there’ll be people who’ll report to you as well.”

Within small villages, strength in numbers was key. Most of the time, people would tend to avoid harassing families with more siblings. As a matter of fact, these siblings could go and harass others.

Li Qingshan said proudly and boldly, “Even if the friends that I, Li Qingshan, make are not the outstanding heroes and figures of the world, they will be men with backbone who value their bonds and ties of friendship. How can I be associated with people like them?” His voice was resonant, such that it disturbed a few roosting crows, making them fly around among the trees.

The black ox remained silent. It looked at how high-spirited and enthusiastic Li Qingshan was and sank into its thoughts.

Li Qingshan felt embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his head. “Brother ox, you must be laughing at my bold and boastful words, but that’s how I feel inside. I’ve only told you as well.”

The black ox pulled out a gourd of alcohol from somewhere once again and tossed it to Li Qingshan. “If you’re even afraid of saying some bold words, you might as well go back to farming. What other bold things do you want to say? Let’s hear it.”

Li Qingshan removed the stopper deftly, tilted his back, and gulped down a few mouthfuls. He casually wiped his mouth and grinned. “I want to travel through all corners of the world, across the entire universe! I want to taste all of the delicacies and drink all of the finest alcohol the world has to offer! I want to practise the fiercest abilities, fight the strongest foes, and sleep with the most beautiful women! Only then will this life not be a waste! Brother ox, do you think my dream can come true?”

“Definitely!”

“Alright, I’ll be counting on that!”

The youth’s great dream resounded through the tiny courtyard. Perhaps right now, he did not take it seriously at all, but a spark had already been embedded in his heart, ready to become a roaring fire some day.

Using his high spirits from drinking, he practised the three forms of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength once more. In a drunken stupor, he had no idea whether his movements were correct, swinging his arms and legs however he liked it. The black ox drank to the side, saying nothing.

In the end, Li Qingshan collapsed on the ground due to intoxication.

The next day, through the three scoundrels, the news of Li Qingshan returning the money to his elder brother and sister-in-law spread through the entire village very quickly. In regard to his choice, some people felt admiration, praising him for his extraordinary spirit. There were also others who mocked him. How was he supposed to eat without the land? He would still be forced to work for caretaker Liu. Would he still have any spirit then?

However, they were afraid of saying it so openly either. Unbeknownst to most people, Li Erlang had already begun to establish a reputation in the village.

Caretaker Liu experienced a mix of joy and worry because of this. He was obviously joyful that Li Erlang would no longer bicker with him over the piece of land, but he was worried over how closely he kept watch over his debts of gratitude and revenge. Perhaps he was only biding his time, waiting for a time for revenge. After all, patch-haired Liu had been acting under his orders prior to this.

If Li Erlang came looking for trouble right now, he would be better off instead. He personally had a myriad of ways to deal with him if that did happen, but he could not afford to remain on guard every day and night. It was just like the saying, “Better to harass the old than the poor but young.”

As caretaker Liu considered this in a hall, a hunched old man arrived in front of the gate under the support of a young man. The guards there stopped them.

Caretaker Liu immediately went to receive them. His chubby face formed a smile. “Village head Li, what brings you here today?”

Village head Li said sternly, “Since when did you have guards here? May I ask what you are guarding against?”

Caretaker Liu smiled awkwardly. He was a landowner, but this was only a small mountain village afterall. It was obviously impossible for his family to hold as much status as the large clans in the cities. Normally, he only had an old attendant. He never had anyone guarding the entrance.

Although he had done everything he could to possess the land in the village, it was still mostly done through legitimate transactions. Even if it involved coercion, he was coercing people who could not fight back, so he did not have that many enemies. He was obviously guarding against Li Qingshan right now. In his eyes, the kid was originally someone who could not fight back, but his response in the end had taken him by surprise.

The two of them went inside to talk. Village head Li cut right to the chase and said, “Caretaker Liu, you are someone who has seen the world. Tell me, how do you plan on dealing with Li Erlang?”

His eyes were completely bloodshot. The villagers were afraid of Li Qingshan and so was he. As people grew older, their fear towards death would increase. Last night, he had laid in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Any disturbance would make him sit up in a hurry, afraid that Li Qingshan had snuck in to take his old life. He basically did not catch a wink of sleep.

He rose from bed early in the morning and made up his mind. If he did not eliminate this potential problem that haunted him, he could not live properly anymore. As a result, he came to caretaker Liu.

Caretaker Liu spread his hands. “How do I deal with him? Everyone in the village respects him as a brave man. Besides, there’s no evidence that he killed patch-haired Liu.”

“Why wouldn’t he be the murderer? It’s basically written on his face,” said the young man beside the village head. He was the village head’s son, Li Hu. He had also been a dominating fellow of the village, but he now paled in comparison to Li Qingshan. He was unwilling to accept it.

“It’s not like you would be able to read it even if it were written across his face.” caretaker Liu shot a glance at him. Just a brat like you wants to try to act tough in front of me? He glanced at village head Li and slowed down. “Do you know what he did last night?”

“Of course I know. Everyone thinks he’s a brave man, which makes it even more impossible for me to order people around. That’s why I’ve come to you.” As the person with the greatest authority in the village, village head Li had already grown accustomed to utter obedience. Now, a kid had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and challenged his dignity. He felt infuriated and very hurt. He had made up his mind about redeeming his pride, paying no regard to who had twisted reality and distorted what was right and wrong in the first place.

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1. The Ox Demon King is a reference to Journey to the West. One of the main characters, Sun Wukong, is the seventh brother out of the sworn siblings. The Ox Demon King is the first brother.

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Chapter 8 – Attending a Feast of Treachery

Caretaker Liu said, “But he has to eat.”

Liu Hu said, “Who doesn’t have to eat?”

Just like how sophistication came with age, village head Li had yet to grow senile. His eyes lit up. “You mean?”

“If he wants to eat, he has to work. Is there still anyone in the village who can afford to employ him? If he works for me, then wouldn’t I be able to make whatever arrangements I need to make?”

Caretaker Li saw the admiration on the father and son’s face and felt complacent. Food was the most basic necessity of people. It was impossible for food to rain from the sky. It all had to be grown from the ground. Controlling the land was equivalent to grasping the lifeblood of people. Even a brave man would be reduced to a wimp if he went three days without food.

Caretaker Liu had already come up with a countermeasure. There was actually no need to kill Li Erlang. He only needed to deal a blow to him and see what would happen. If he became usable after that, it would not be a bad outcome.

Li Qingshan woke up from a dream. He had no idea about these schemes. All he saw was a water deer lying in the courtyard. He chuckled. Without even thanking the black ox, he skinned and boned the water deer. This time, he had prepared salt to preserve the meat, just in case he could not finish it all before it went off.

After doing all that, he arrived by the side of the stream, washing his face and rinsing his mouth before beginning a day of cultivation.

For the next few days, he woke up when it was still dark and only went to sleep when it was pitch-black. He basically did not take a single step out of his home, completely cutting himself off from the outside world. He would be utterly dead beat from the training everyday such that he did not find it boring.

He was working hard for his dream. With every step forward he took, with every bit of progress he made, a whole new world seemed to be unfolding before him.

Over a dozen days passed, and Li Qingshan just happened to have finished the water deer when the village head had run out of patience. He had not managed to get even a single night of proper sleep in the past few days. Every night, he would have his two sons keep watch over him by his bedside, and only then would he barely be able to catch some sleep. At such an advanced age, there was no way for him to endure all of this. He was close to developing a serious illness, so he quickly went to discuss matters with caretaker Liu.

Caretaker Liu had become terribly worried from the waiting as well. He would send his guards to Li Qingshan’s house to check on him. The first guard reported back that Li Qingshan had been drinking and eating meat everyday, and he had even started practising martial arts. He originally was not convinced but several other guards reported the same news. Afterwards, no one dared to check on him anymore.

The witch saying that demons had possessed him crossed their minds once more, which added a stern layer of mystery and terror to Li Qingshan’s courtyard. However, some people believed that Li Qingshan was diligently practising martial arts in order to prepare for revenge.

Seeing how village head Li was close to breaking down in tears, caretaker Liu frowned and made up his mind. “Invite him to a feast. If he comes, then he’s a brave man. If he doesn’t, then he’s just a coward putting on an act.”

An invitation card was delivered to Li Qingshan. He fiddled around with the large, red invitation. In a small village like this, marriages and funerals were normally notified of by sending a person. Rarely would they ever send a formal invitation like this, so he could not help but find this to be rather novel.

He sank into his thoughts. Nothing good could come out of this feast. If he went, he would be essentially walking head-first into a trap. He had only practised for around a dozen days. He had benefited greatly, but it was still difficult to take on multiple people with just two hands.

However, if he did not go, the reputation he had established after so much difficulty would all go to waste. If other people mentioned him, they would definitely talk about how he was afraid of going to a mere feast. It would ruin his name.

Once he showed weakness, the blows to him would be endless. Caretaker Liu’s move was truly well-schemed, forcing him between a rock and a hard place.

The black ox asked, “Are you going?”

“I just happened to have run out of food to eat. There’s someone treating me to a meal, so why wouldn’t I go? Armed with a single blade, Guan Yunchang attended a feast alone. Am I supposed to be afraid of attending this village feast?” Li Qingshan laughed aloud as a heroic spirit developed within him.¹

“Who’s Guan Yunchang?”

“Just a hero I’ve heard of.” Li Qingshan stood up and poured his strength into his two arms, performing the Ox Demon Bucks its Horns. At the same time, he began to exhale deeply, gently emitting a sound similar to the moo of a cow from his lungs. He was like a huge water buffalo swinging its horns, ready to confront an opponent in battle.

The black ox nodded in satisfaction. Li Qingshan’s Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength had already touched on the correct path, and he had been progressing with amazing speed the entire time. If he carefully evaded this bit of danger now, it would definitely be detrimental to his cultivation.

“I just happen to have some existing debts to settle with someone, and the matter still encumbers me. Now’s an opportunity.” Ever since the day Li Qingshan settled his debts with his elder brother and sister-in-law, he had indeed made rapid progress with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, which proved his guess was not just a feeling.

Summer was about to end, but the sunlight was still dazzling. Under a few elm trees in caretaker Liu’s courtyard, tables had already been set up for the feast.

A group of men in their prime occupied a few of the tables, gulping as they stared at the tables of alcohol and dishes. Only caretaker Liu could afford to hold a feast like this! However, even with how simple-minded they were as farmers, they knew this feast would not be held for free. Caretaker Liu had already explained many things beforehand.

Something… something to do with smashing a cup as a signal? They did not understand too well anyway. They only knew that once caretaker Liu suddenly turned hostile, they would have to begin using their fists.

Although they were somewhat reluctant to fight Li Qingshan, they were all caretaker Liu’s farmworkers. They could not afford to offend this person they relied on to make a living. Li Erlang was only fifteen anyway, so how could he take on so many people? As a result, all the workers who could come came, occupying several large tables.

Even for some of them who could not bear to lay their hands on Li Qingshan, they could only just do it with slightly less force to play along. After that, they would get Erlang to kneel before caretaker Liu and apologise so that they themselves could suffer a little less.

The cicadas buzzed weakly in the trees as everyone became rather impatient from the wait. With such great alcohol and food placed before them that they could not touch, it was quite a test for them. The discussion drowned out the cicada cries,

“It’s about time. He’s afraid. He won’t come. Let’s just eat!”

“But when it comes to you, you wouldn’t be afraid. Not coming is the right decision. He’d be an idiot if he did.”

Caretaker Liu seemed to turn a deaf ear to it all. He only smiled as he thought to himself, As long as he knows he’s afraid. He’s still just a half-grown kid at the end of the day.

“He’s here! He’s here!” A young walker jogged into the courtyard, covered in sweat. “Li Erlang is here!”

As if everyone in the courtyard had been grabbed by the neck at the same time, all of them fell silent. The cries of the cicadas seemed to grow resonant at that moment.

Li Qingshan stood in front of caretaker Liu’s gate. His nerves were also on the edge. Everything was always easier said than done. The courtyard of white walls and black tiles seriously seemed like a tiny lair of danger. If he were careless, he could end up losing his life inside there.

He began to consider retreating. He thought about how it was never too late for a real man to take revenge, whether it be a day or ten years. With his current rate of progress, as long as he had some time—one year, no, half a year, or maybe even three months—and managed to achieve something with his Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, he would have no need to fear anyone in the courtyard.

He suddenly jolted his mind and dismissed those thoughts. He questioned himself, “Li Qingshan, oh Li Qingshan, were you just talking nonsense with what you said before? Only bold enough to turn against those weaker than you? Then even if you attain abilities of paramount might, you’re really just a coward inside.”

All of these thoughts occurred to him in only but an instant. Li Qingshan inhaled deeply and clenched his fists. His gaze became determined as he entered the courtyard with resolve.

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1. Guan Yunchang attending a feast alone refers to what Guan Yu did in chapter 66 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Again, you are welcome to check it out.

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Chapter 9 – The Rage of a Common Person

The gate closed behind him. Li Qingshan looked around as if he had not noticed the tense atmosphere in the courtyard. Instead, he made his way over to caretaker Liu’s table. It was located right before the hall, located under the largest elm tree in the centre of the courtyard. It was the main table, and everyone who sat at that table had status in the village.

To caretaker Liu’s left and right were village head Li and the witch. They were the three people with the most authority in the village. There were also some elders of the village seated there too, with the only young people being village head Li’s two sons, Li Hu and Li Bao. They were both broad-shouldered and stalwart. They glared at Li Qingshan.

Caretaker Liu’s gaze shifted away slightly. After just a dozen or so days, Li Qingshan seemed to have become a different person. Caretaker Liu was unable to pinpoint exactly where Li Qingshan was different, but he was simply different from before. He just had an additional aura about him.

Village head Li remained dignified but his gaze was hostile, while the witch was filled with undisguised hatred.

Normal villagers would no longer be able to remain within the village if they had offended any single one of them, let alone all three at the same time. Their only choice would be to lower their heads and apologise. However, Li Qingshan would never lower his head.

There were many rules to a feast within the village, stressing everything from seating arrangement to sitting posture. Li Qingshan saw how the other tables were full and only this table had some room, so he sat there boldly. He said, “Why aren’t you eating? Have you all been waiting for me?”

No one answered him. Li Hu and Li Bao squeezed over from the left and the right, each grabbing one of Li Qingshan’s shoulders and pressing down on it.

Although Li Qingshan was young and had a tall stature just like the two of them, he was skinny, nowhere near as wide as the two of them. If it were in the past, just one of them could have easily dealt with him. Even now, Li Qingshan would only be able to handle one of them at a time, with two being potentially too difficult.

Li Qingshan frowned and grabbed their wrists. He tore them off his shoulders while using the Ox Demon Forges its Hide. Like a huge water buffalo stretching its muscles and bones, he moved left and right.

Li Hu and Li Bao only felt an intense pain from their wrists before they collided with Li Qingshan. They immediately lost their balance and fell off the bench.

The two of them were furious from the humiliation. They did not even care about the dust on them as they leaped to their feet.

Originally, caretaker Liu wanted to say some general pleasantries and probe Li Qingshan’s thoughts. He wanted to see if Li Qingshan planned on submitting to them or not. He never expected Li Hu and Li Bao to be so rash. He could not afford to scold them either. He was just about to smash the cup in his hand and have the workers get him.

Clang! A knife had been stabbed into the table, and everyone’s movements halted as well. Under the sunlight that filtered through the leaves, the blade of the knife flickered with a hazy light.

Li Hu and Li Bao immediately became afraid of approaching him. They were both sons of the village head, and they were pampered because of that. They could use their personal strength to harass the meek, but it was not worthwhile for them to risk their lives.

Li Qingshan gripped the knife with one hand as he rested a foot on the bench, leaning forward and looking at caretaker Liu as he chuckled. “Caretaker Liu, that’s not how you receive a guest. Even if there are any grievances of life and death that must be settled, it’s not like it can’t be settled after being fed. Don’t waste this table full of food.” When he reached there, he actually stopped feeling nervous.

Before caretaker Liu could respond, the workers at the tables in the surroundings all agreed with him. To them, eating was obviously the most important matter! If they began fighting, who knows how many dishes and bottles of alcohol would go to waste. They did not believe the stingy caretaker Liu would prepare another table of food and wine for them.

“Yeah, yeah. Caretaker Liu, we haven’t even eaten breakfast yet! We’ve been utterly starving since a long time ago. Where would we get the energy to fight?”

“I didn’t even get to eat last night. If I don’t eat some now, I won’t be able to last any longer.” As a worker added as he gulped forcefully.

The tense atmosphere immediately became rather strange. Even Li Qingshan had no idea how to react. He started to wonder why he had been afraid of these people.

Caretaker Liu became bright red. He had set up this feast for two reasons. First, to stun Li Qingshan, and secondly, to give some benefits to the workers just in case they would not exert themselves.

He was determined to replicate what the stories had detailed, planting five hundred armed men and signalling them to take down Li Qingshan at the smash of a cup. However, he forgot that the people at his command were not disposable guards or soldiers, but farmers down to the very core.

Li Qingshan looked at caretaker Liu with a happy smile. “What a coincidence! I happened to have not eaten anything last night either, so I’ll just be candid now.” He grabbed a roast chicken and began eating.

Ever since he began practising the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, his appetite had become astonishing. He only used around a dozen or so days to finish off a water deer that weighed over fifty kilograms. The black ox had not even managed to catch something new in time.

The roast chicken disappeared into his mouth in the blink of an eye. With him at the lead, the workers could not care anymore. They all lifted their chopsticks and buried their faces in the food. For a moment, the only sound left in the courtyard was the sound of eating.

Village head Li was both furious and afraid. He trembled all over as he shot a glance at caretaker Liu. Aren’t you supposed to be very clever? Hurry up and come up with something.

Was there anything that caretaker Liu could come up with? He only shot a glance back. If I get the workers to act right now, they would hate to put down what is in their mouths right now. If Li Qingshan charged over and attacks me first with his knife, what am I supposed to do? Your sons look pretty tough most of the time, so why’d they become so soft now?

On that table, they only had caretaker Liu and a group of old people, so they could probably all be knocked over by a single kick from Li Qingshan. They felt like they had suddenly become stranded on a lone island, forced to face this vicious person alone. They were all trembling in fear.

With the rage of a common person, blood splashes five steps away.¹

Li Qingshan behaved like there was no one around him. He enjoyed the jug of alcohol all by himself. The village alcohol was weak in the first place, so there was basically no taste to it. As a result, he called out, “Bring me a big bowl!”

However, no one answered him. Li Qingshan produced a displeasured ‘hmm?’ and caretaker Liu quickly ordered someone to bring a big bowl. Li Qingshan filled it up and downed the whole thing in one stroke, “Satisfying!”

When the workers saw how he drank so brazenly, they admired his courage, so there were actually quite a few cheers for him.

Li Qingshan had eaten quite a lot of oily and greasy food in the past few days, so now that he downed this scorching booze, he felt extremely satisfied. He did not stop, drinking three bowls in succession.

When the third bowl of alcohol flowed down his throat, the courtyard had already been filled by loud cheers, causing quite the ruckus. It was as if caretaker Liu was not the one who had invited them, and they had instead come to cheer Li Qingshan on.

Li Qingshan let out a drunken burp and clasped his hands at everyone. “Everyone has eaten and drunk well, so don’t forget about caretaker Liu’s kindness. Any grievances can be settled after eating. Even if you end up on the path to the netherworld, you can’t be a starving ghost.”

Afterwards, his gaze turned into a glare, and he looked at the people on the main table. “Why aren’t you eating?” With the rush of drunkenness, his killing intent was roused as well. If people kept looking to make things difficult for him, he would no longer have any peace in the Crouching Ox village. He might even fall for a plot concocted by them sometime. As a result, he might as well kill a few of them now, seize some of their belongings, and travel far away. There was probably no one in the village who would be bold enough to stop him.

Originally, Li Qingshan was only risking his own life to come to this banquet. There was even some bravado to this, yet he ended up calling caretaker Liu’s bluff and bravado. He had temporarily reversed the situation in his favour, altering his intentions drastically in the process. He could not help but think of what uncle Lei Feng had said, “Difficulties are like a spring. They are strong when you are weak.” He also thought of what the founding ancestor Mao had said, “Imperialism is all but a paper tiger.” Yep, landowners were all but a paper tiger.

While caretaker Liu was rather bad at scheming, he was good at reading people. As soon as he saw Li Qingshan’s expression, he knew that the young man was ready to kill. He could no longer maintain his act of shrewdness and sweat began to cover his forehead.

A few of the village elders were utterly terrified. They did not want to be glutted ghosts either! They explained to Li Qingshan in a hurry that regarding the family separation, all they did was show up as a formality. They had no idea about the inside story. Some of them stood up trembling, wanting to bid farewell and leave.

Li Qingshan shouted out coldly, “Stop, all of you! You have all witnessed what happened a few days before, so don’t leave in such a hurry. If you’ve eaten enough, you better stay here and serve as a witness. If you insist on leaving, that means you have something to hide, so you better not blame a certain person for showing no mercy.”

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1. It means that when an ordinary person loses their temper, they will fight or kill regardless of the consequences. The part to stress here is regardless of the consequences, which means that while a horrible judgement would await this ordinary person, those who provoke him will probably be killed anyway.

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Chapter 10 – There are No Gods Watching Over Up Above

The elders all sat back down while trembling. Li Qingshan buried his face in the food and alcohol, eating and drinking to his heart’s content. In the past few days, all he had to eat was river deer meat, which he had gotten tired of as well. He wanted to change up his diet, so he polished off the entire table of alcohol and dishes. He rubbed his bulging belly.

“Everyone in this courtyard is technically my elders. It wouldn’t even be an exaggeration if you said some of you watched me grow up. However, some people give no consideration to this, harrassing me for the sake of a bit of land. If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll give you an explanation instead. Even if it costs me my life, I won’t hesitate.”

As Li Qingshan spoke, he picked up the knife. “Caretaker Liu, village head Li, don’t you agree?”

Caretaker Liu was determined to avert the imminent danger. He yielded and said, “Erlang, if you want to farm on the land, take it then!”

Li Qingshan replied, “I don’t want the land. You bought that by spending your own money. I have no interest in taking advantage of you. I just want justice. You do whatever you want in the village, but never forget that the gods are watching over up above and justice lies in the heart of people.” Towards the end, he had become harsh in both tone and expression.

Awkwardly enough, caretaker Liu had no idea how to respond. Village head Li responded in his stead, “This was our fault for believing in your brother…”

“That’s not my brother.” Li Qingshan interrupted coldly.

“Li Da and the others have been talking nonsense. They were blinded by greed, which was why they managed to commit such stupidity. These days, I haven’t been able to catch a wink of sleep. I’m just afraid that once I pass away someday, I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to face your parents.” When the village head reached the end, he had already broken down into sobs as tears streaked across his face, but he was thinking about how he had suffered these past few days.

Li Qingshan then turned to a few elders. “Then do you think that I deserved a share of the land?”

“You did, you did!” Was there still anyone who dared to say ‘no’ right now?

Li Qingshan managed to get everything he had come out for. He tilted his head back and laughed aloud. “So there’s still justice in this world!” His laughter suddenly halted; he lowered his head as his expression changed constantly. He was stern at times and relieved at others. There was a hint of indescribable sorrow among all of it. He looked at the knife in his hands. “Turns out, justice lies here.”

He furrowed his brows and muttered, “There are no gods watching over up above. Justice lies within the knife. There are no gods watching over up above. Justice lies within the knife…” He could not help but let his voice grow louder and louder. Eventually, it boomed through the entire residence.

He was originally indignant, determined to vent it all out. He was even ready to kill, but now, he felt that it was pointless. He stowed the knife away and no longer paid any attention to the people seated there. He turned around and made his way out, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

The workers had enjoyed a free fast, and they had just seen a good show as well, so they dispersed in satisfaction. All of them talked about Li Qingshan with faces filled with admiration.

Caretaker Liu wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead. He knew that if he still wanted to gather people to deal with Li Qingshan, it would be extremely difficult. Even though he possessed land, the workers were not his slaves. They could not be ordered around by him. Even if they were slaves, they could rebel. If he aggravated all the workers into opposing him, it would be absolutely terrible.

Fortunately, Li Erlang was a person who held clear debts of gratitude and revenge. Since he had mentioned it all today, he would not be scheming for revenge anymore, so caretaker Liu could get some peace at the very least. While the feast was not a success, he had managed to achieve his objectives. He saw village head Li’s two sons help him to his feet. While the village head still felt embarrassed, he seemed relieved as well, probably thinking of the same thing as him.

The two of them made eye contact and both felt awkward.

Li Hu refused to leave the matter like this. “Father, why don’t we get elder brother to come back? With his martial arts, I refuse to believe that he can’t handle Li Erlang.”

Li Bao added, “Uncle Liu, isn’t brother Liu in Qingyang city?”

Village head Li just happened to be fuming, so he said viciously, “All of you shut up! How did I manage to give birth to people as useless as you?”

Meanwhile, Caretaker Liu said nothing. They had both been through quite a lot, so they understood the benefits of playing it safe very well. They would never take this risk for the sake of just their pride.

“You bunch of useless people, the gods have already become furious. His days are numbered,” the witch who had remained silent the entire time suddenly said with an air of malice and mystery.

Despite being right underneath the sun, many people could not help but shiver. In this day and age, everyone revered ghosts and gods, and the witch was the person communicated with the gods. Li Qingshan had actually just said that there were actually no gods watching over up above, so he really might have infuriated the gods.

Some people even thought of how there was once a child in the village who had fallen ill, and his family had sought out the witch to cure him. The witch said that the child had been possessed by a monster, so she burnt him with fire and drowned him with water before smothering him with blankets, saying that she was forcing out the monster. Yet in the end, she had smothered the child to death.

The witch only said that the kings of hell wanted to see him, claiming that no one could save him. However, the parents of the child refused to accept this. The child’s mother would shout abuses outside the witch’s home everyday, which severely damaged the witch’s prestige in the village. However, after just a few days, the child’s mother suddenly passed away from an illness. Her death was quite baffling.

All the witch said was that the child missed his mother in the netherworld. After that, nobody ever dared to disrespect her again. By kicking and shouting at her in public, Li Qingshan had already offended her completely.

“Caretaker Liu, this child is one of the unavoidable calamities in your life. Now that the gods have removed this calamity for you…”

Caretaker Liu quickly ordered some people to pack some incense, candles, alcohol, and food for the witch. The witch then looked at village head Li. He also produced a small piece of silver reluctantly, sending the witch off with that.

A worker carried these items and followed closely behind the witch, afraid of uttering anything unnecessary. They arrived in front of a house with black tiles. Aside from caretaker Liu and village head Li, she was the only person in the village who could afford a house of brick and tiles.

There was an altar table and an incense burner in the hall. The air was filled with incense smoke. It was both a residence and a shrine.

“Xiao An, Xiao An, granny is back,” the witch suddenly croaked. Her wrinkly face formed a mysterious smile. It was anything but amiable.

The worker knew the witch did not have any grandchildren, so he was frightened out of his wits. He placed everything down in a hurry. Suddenly, he felt like someone was tugging his pants, but looking back, there was no one there at all. He cried out, “Mother of heaven!” and scrambled away. Sharp laughter rang out behind him.

“Xiao An, granny is speaking to you. Someone has harassed granny.”

No one answered her in the empty hall.

“What? How dare you not listen to granny…” The witch’s face suddenly became vicious, and she launched a series of insults and scolds. She shook a bronze bell in her hand.

A cold wind immediately arose in the room.

A long time later, the witch became gentle once more. “Good, that’s more like it. Granny doesn’t want to hit you either, my good grandson.”

From the beginning till the end, she had only been talking to herself.

Li Qingshan returned to his house. He had no idea where the black ox had run off to. It had probably gone to hunt for him again.

Using his high spirits from drinking, he began to practise the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength again. He had already become as familiar as he could with the basic stance of the three forms, so his body moved automatically. He thought about everything he had gone through today. Something that seemed so terrifying was actually so flimsy. If he had fled out of fear when he was in front of caretaker Liu’s house, how was he supposed to realise the façade of the entire situation.

Regarding this matter, his true opponent was not caretaker Liu or village head Li, but the fear in his heart. What was true strength? The Dao De Jing had already provided an answer to that question. “Those who dominate others are strong, but those who overcome themselves have strength.”

“The courageous are fearless!” Li Qingshan roared out these four words as if he had overcome an invisible barrier. His movements suddenly gained an indomitable aura. No matter what difficulties or dangers lay ahead, he would overcome them with his head held high. He would never lower his head and retreat.

There are no gods watching over up above. I am the god. Justice does not lie in the hearts of people. It lies in my hands.

In his limbs, chest, and abdomen, every single muscle across his body seemed to be linked together by this determination. He could unleash the strength of his entire body through a single punch. He had a feeling that even if he did not use a weapon, he was confident about defeating Li Hu and Li Bao together in a direct confrontation right now.

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Chapter 11 – Haunted by an Evil Spirit

His courage increased his power, and his power increased his courage. It was a positive feedback loop.

He trained until sunset and actually felt hungry again. Right now, he was still very skinny, nowhere near as wide as Li Hu or Li Bao. Only he knew that none of the essences from the water deer meat had gone to waste. It had all merged with his body.

His body was like a bottomless hole, draining and absorbing all the alcohol and meat greedily, converting it into power.

After training, Li Qingshan sat down on the spot, closed his eyes, and settled down, feeling all the changes to his body. Overexerting his muscles and bones was extremely painful. He could still remember how he almost could not get out of bed from the pain on the second day of practising the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength.

On that day, the black ox had not urged him on either. He had forcefully endured the pain and gotten up to train. Only after a dozen or so days of consecutive training did it get slightly better. No, it should be that his tolerance had increased. Logically, his body should have gradually grown accustomed to it all after making it through the first few days, but the pain he experienced did not lessen at all. He still felt like he had only begun training every day.

Every single change his body went through was reflected in his heart with great clarity. Unfortunately, he could not sense any of the so-called qi. According to the black ox, only when one sensed the flow of qi and produced a trace of true qi would a grasp of the basics for any ability or technique be achieved. He had been cultivating for far too short a period.

At this moment, he suddenly felt a chill. It moved about behind his neck like a cold breeze.

However, there was no breeze at all, much less a cold breeze.

Is this the so-called qi?

Li Qingshan was elated. He concentrated on the cold sensation, but he gradually felt the chill penetrate his skin and enter deeper and deeper, reaching his bone marrow and even his soul. It was extremely cold and very unpleasant.

Li Qingshan shook his head. He stood up and practised a little more. The chill dispersed slightly, but it pestered him once again when he sat back down.

He had no idea what went wrong, so he went to the stream by his house to wash himself. The moon shone brilliantly that night. When he glanced at his reflection in the water, he saw a pale-white child with a stiff expression perched on him.

Even with his increased courage, he became covered in cold sweat from fright. Immediately, he thought about a movie from his past life called The Grudge.

If it were someone else, they would have definitely become stupefied, but Li Qingshan had lived with an ox daemon for so long after all. Using the reflection, he made eye contact with the child. The child only seemed to be seven or eight years old. His expression was dull and stiff. Li Qingshan said to the child, “What are you? Why’re you on me?”

However, the child only moved its head. The surface of the water rippled at this moment, and the reflection of the child vanished. However, the chill clearly remained.

Li Qingshan did his best to remain composed. I’ve run into a ghost. Why is this little ghost haunting me? I have to wait for brother ox to return so that I can talk to him. Fortunately, I won’t be losing my life anytime soon.

However, he felt no confidence, only feeling fear. The coldness ate away at him faster and faster, so he began practising the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength again in a hurry. Only then would the cold sensation vanish. However, he was not a machine that knew no fatigue. He still needed to sit down and rest, which felt especially tormenting whenever it happened.

This lasted until the middle of the night, a time when yin qi was the heaviest.

The cold sensation had already invaded most of Li Qingshan’s body. He felt no obvious pain. However, his arms and legs gradually grew numb, and his senses felt blurred.

An intense sense of danger made him wrack his brains as hard as he could.

He had heard that all people possessed yang qi, which could restrain creatures of the dead. He thought about how his blood vessels swelled as blood rushed through them when he practised the ability, which was why the little ghost had been afraid of approaching him. As a result, whenever he meditated, he did his best to replicate the feeling of when he practised. He closed his eyes, used his thoughts, and tensed his muscles. As expected, it was somewhat effective, allowing him to barely stop the attack of yin qi.

He lasted the night like that. His mind would be clear at times and sleepy at others, which was a vicious exercise on his mind and willpower. This situation continued until his willpower was close to collapsing.

With a rooster’s crow, the sun began to rise, and Li Qingshan’s eyes snapped open. Sunlight landed on his face through the trees, which was rather dazzling. The coldness on his body had vanished. The black ox looked at him from nearby with great fascination.

Li Qingshan said, “Where’d you go, brother ox? Did you know what I came across last night?”

“I came back a long time ago. Isn’t it just a little ghost on you?”

“And you just watched on?”

“What am I supposed to do?”

Li Qingshan grimaced and said nothing. The black ox had told him a long time ago. “No matter what danger you come across, you better not rely on me, as I’m not even going to lift a finger to help out.” Right from the beginning, the ox had never given him the opportunity to rely on it. Li Qingshan glanced at the gazelle by the ox’s foot, which prohibited him from complaining even more. The black ox had already provided him with the most crucial assistance. He could not rely on the black ox for everything.

Under the warm sunlight of the rising sun, Li Qingshan stood up and loosened up. “Fortunately the little ghost won’t come out during the day, as I really can’t last much longer than that. Brother ox, I’m practising a daoist ability after all, yet I can’t even deal with a mere ghost?”

“If it were not for the ability you practised, you wouldn’t have even been able to last through the night. Once you achieve the strength of one ox, you’ll be brimming with vigour, and you obviously won’t be afraid of a mere ghost.”

“Then how much longer do I have to wait?”

“Apart from that, I have another idea.”

“What idea?”

“Ghosts are afraid of murderous and vicious auras the most. If you claim a hundred or so lives with your hands, I’ll guarantee you that anything evil will avoid you like the plague. That little ghost won’t even be able to get in a range of ten steps from you.”

Li Qingshan rolled his eyes. “Am I supposed to massacre the entire village?”

“It’s not like that’s impossible. What, you want to try it?” The black ox sniggered.

“Why don’t I butcher you into steaks first!” Li Qingshan ignored it. He dealt with the gazelle first. After eating breakfast, he tossed this matter aside for now and ignored his fatigue before applying himself to another day of cultivation.

However, as soon as he began cultivating, he felt that it was rather different from before. A thin, weak sliver of ‘qi’ flowed through his body. He would have never discovered it had he not been careful.

The qi was not like the true qi mentioned in those wuxia novels, stored within the dantian and flowing along the meridians. Instead, it flowed freely like a fish, passing through every part of his body. Whenever he punched out hard, the sliver would flow through his arms and into his fist. All of it would happen in a single moment.

His mind eased up, and the sliver flowed off somewhere. It was like a misbehaving child, basically beyond his control. He told the black ox about this.

The black ox was not surprised. Instead, it said meaningfully, “It’s all thanks to that little ghost that you were able to sense the existence of qi so soon. You can say that it’s a blessing in disguise.”

On the edge of life and death, Li Qingshan had used everything that his mind and willpower could offer to fend off the yin qi. The little ghost had departed, but the willpower lingered, turning into a trace of true qi.

“So this is true qi?” Li Qingshan gazed at his palm. “What exactly do you use true qi for?”

“Refining vitality into qi, refining vitality into qi. Is it just for this qi? What do you think its uses are? If you can’t sense qi, it’ll just be some peasant’s tricks even if you practise for your entire life. You won’t be able to achieve anything. As for the benefits, they are truly innumerable. You’ll just have to experience it yourself slowly.”

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Chapter 12 – A Long Blade in Hand

Li Qingshan felt like the black ox was not telling him everything; it was as if it were hiding something. However, he could not be bothered thinking too much about it in his joy. He immediately began to practise again, sensing the uses of this true qi.

Indeed, he found a knack for it before long. Today, he practised the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength more smoothly than ever before. He was like an old machine that had been freshly lubricated. It was indescribably satisfying.

Additionally, his strength recovered much faster than before. At a glance, this seemed insignificant. However, normal people would never be bold enough to use their full strength in their attacks when they fought. They would always hold back a little. After all, if the opponent dodged the attack, they would seize up momentarily and leave a huge opening.

He did not have to worry about that. In the time that others would take to throw a punch, he could throw three punches at full strength. It would be impossible for them to match his power either.

After all these days of hard cultivation, he finally achieved a sliver of result. He could not help but feel overjoyed. He felt like he was another step closer to his objective.

However, when he remembered the danger and difficulties he went through last night, his face turned cold. “But I do want to know who gave me this blessing.”

The black ox said seemingly carelessly, “Everything, whether good or bad, is brought on by man himself.”

Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up. This was what he had said when the witch had come for the boar’s head. The little ghost was definitely haunting him for a reason. Upon closer thought, he immediately found some clues.

He had been born and raised in this tiny mountain village, so he did know a little about the few major matters that had happened in the village. In such a remote, little village, major matters barely ever happened in the first place.

One of these included the ruin of a family in the village due to a child’s death a few years ago.

Back then, Li Qingshan was a child as well. He even knew the child, Xiao Mao. He had never thought the child would actually die because of this, and this was also the reason why Li Qingshan had ‘turned back to normal’ after drinking the purging water, afraid of revealing any surprising aspects anymore. It was also when he had developed his great abhorrence towards the local witch.

The death of Xiao Mao’s mother was very fishy. She had died all of a sudden one night for no particular reason.

Originally, Li Qingshan had believed she was unable to endure the grief of the loss of her son. However, looking at it now, she had clearly been killed by the yin qi. He suddenly stood up; a cold light flashed through his eyes. “I see. I can’t spare her!”

The black ox said, “Then go kill her!”

“It’s not that simple.” Li Qingshan sat down with his legs crossed and sank into his thoughts.

The local witch was not a ruffian like patch-haired Liu. Not only did she possess great status in the village, but she even had some renown in the local region as well. Non-locals would often come to the village for her fortunes.

He could only flee the village after killing her. It was even possible that he would be reported to the government and be deemed as a fugitive. He had no evidence or witnesses either, so he could not jump to the conclusion that she was behind everything. Most importantly, since she could control the little ghost, who knows whether she had other things that she could use against him.

The black ox did not chip in from the side, but it approved of him very much. If Li Qingshan wanted to use his might from yesterday and confronted the witch in a rash manner, all of the painstaking effort he had gone through would have gone to waste.

Rarely was anything perfect in the world. Courageous people would often be rash and careless, while clever people would often be hesitant, lacking resolve and courage. To have the courage of a swordsman and the heart and patience of a zitherist—now that was rare.

Li Qingshan made up his mind and made his way over to the village.

“Oh, it’s Erlang. Have you eaten? If you haven’t, you can come to my house.” At the entrance, an old man plowed a vegetable garden with his hoe. He greeted Li Qingshan warmly as soon as he saw him.

What happened yesterday in caretaker Liu’s courtyard had already spread across the entire village. The unrecognised second son of the Li family had already become someone famous. Both the young and old felt some respect towards this young man.

Li Qingshan responded to all the greetings he received. He passed through most of the village until he eventually arrived before a small yard that had a few willow trees planted in front. A small, old man in rags leaned against the tree. He was already as drunk as a fiddler despite it being the morning, which surprisingly, made him seem a little like a great hermit beyond worldly affairs.

Li Qingshan knew that this was no hermit. He was an ordinary farmer and Xiao Mao’s father. His name was Li Fugui. He was actually still in his thirties, but he seemed like he was in his fifties or sixties already. Ever since his wife passed away, he had basically stopped doing farmwork. He would drink away his sorrows everyday and act in a deranged manner.

Seeing Li Qingshan approach him, Li Fugui slurred, “Come, drink, drink.” The stink of alcohol assaulted Li Qingshan’s nose.

Li Qingshan frowned and grabbed Li Fugui, dragging him into the courtyard. Without a single word, Li Qingshan scooped up a ladle of water and poured it into his mouth, which choked him into a coughing fit. He leaned over the threshold of the door and vomited.

Li Qingshan studied the courtyard and the house. It was a mess everywhere. Spider webs covered all the window lattices. It was truly run-down. In the past, Li Fugui’s family had been renowned in the village for their wealth, and the amount of fertile farmland in their possession was second to only caretaker Liu’s family. He had lived up to the name his parents had given to him.¹ The whole family lived happily.

However, who could help that the world was unpredictable? It had all been reduced to this after sudden misfortune, which made Li Qingshan sigh emotionally. The mere happiness of ordinary people was just too fragile. However, with his unswerving determination and great ambitions, he despised people who sank into depravity and dejection and let themselves go the most. As a result, he was not particularly kind to people like this either.

Li Fugui was furious. “W- w- what are you doing?”

“Uncle Li, are you sober?”

Li Fugui saw Li Qingshan’s hostile gaze and shivered all over. He was not blind or deaf. He knew exactly what Li Qingshan had done in the village over the past few days. He was a real person of misfortune. “W- what’s the matter?”

“Do you know how Xiao Mao’s mother died?” Li Qingshan got straight to the paint.

“I don’t know, I know nothing.” Li Fugui paled from fright as soon as he heard that, making his way out quickly.

Li Qingshan grabbed his skinny wrist. “Is this what your wife would have wanted you to become?”

Li Fugui halted. “Erlang, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you. That’s trouble that you can’t afford to get involved with. Do you want to just lose your life for nothing?”

“I don’t want trouble either, but the trouble has already come knocking. If I have to live like you, I would much rather lose my life. I just want you to tell me what happened in the past.”

Li Fugui was startled by that. “What? It has already come knocking?” After quite a while of hesitance, he exhaled deeply and began narrating.

“After Xiao Mao’s mother shouted abuses in the streets outside the witch’s home, she came home and went to sleep. She was unable to get up the next day. Her body became cold and blue. So many strange things happened that night, a- and I saw…”

“What did you see?”

“A child!”

Li Qingshan finally confirmed that the murderer really was the witch.

Moreover, the witch had even said to Li Fugui sinisterly that not only did Xiao Mao miss his mother, but he also missed his father as well. It scared Li Fugui into giving a huge offering.

Li Qingshan slammed the wall with his hand. “She has gone too far. Haven’t you ever considered avenging your wife?”

Li Fugui reddened from frustration due to the contempt in Li Qingshan’s voice. He rushed into the house and pulled out a long, wrapped package from the bottom of a great big wooden box.

He opened the package and inside was a blade, a well-made blade of steel.

Li Qingshan drew the blade from its sheath and a certain coldness flooded out. The blade reflected his face perfectly.

The hilt was around a foot long, slightly curved and wrapped in black silk. It felt extremely pleasant in his hand. The single-edged blade was around two feet long and four inches wide. Compared to Li Qingshan’s knife that was only a foot long and had been made with shoddy craftsmanship, this blade was far superior.

The back of the blade was very thick, and it felt heavy in his hand. It was fantastic for hacking and chopping. He casually swung it and the whistling of air rang out. He could not help but praise it, “Good blade!” He had never seen such a good blade on the market. If it were sold, it probably would have cost quite a bit of fertile farmland.

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1. Li Fugui—Li is his surname and Fugui is his given name. Fugui also means wealthy. It’s a rather crude name.

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Chapter 13 – Seeing Ghosts with an Ox’s Tears

Li Fugui said, “This is a blade forged from hundred-folded steel I bought from the Arsenal of Arms.” He was not an idiot. How could his wife’s death not affect him, and how could he not develop any hatred for the witch? This blade was evidence, evidence that he was still a man.

However, he was still a regular farmer at the end of the day. One side was alcohol and the other side was a blade, but he never managed to make up his mind to lift the blade. Instead, he passed each day drunk and dejected. In the end, he discovered he even lacked the strength to wield the blade. However, he had always kept it. He never exchanged it for alcohol.

Li Fugui thought of the past and became covered in tears. “I don’t have the courage to sell this blade, nor do I want to sell it. If I sell it, I have nothing.”

Li Qingshan’s emotions surged, but he showed none of it. He silently sheathed the blade again. “If you trust me, then give the blade to me. I will definitely settle this matter.”

Li Fugui turned around and waved his hand. Li Qingshan made his way out of the courtyard and walked rapidly. He was tempted to just go up and cut down the witch. Only when he returned to his house and practised a little did he manage to calm down.

“What level of ability do you need to control ghosts? How does it compare to my Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers?”

“The powerful can be revered by a myriad of ghosts, claiming the title of emperor of ghosts, able to associate with gods and demons. The weak can only harass some ordinary people, not only bringing no benefit to themselves, but even bringing detriments instead. Yin qi will eat away at their bodies, leading to a clouded mind and eccentricity.”

“The witch is obviously the latter.” Li Qingshan eased up. Such a situation was what he had been anticipating as well, or the witch would have never taken so long to seek revenge after he kicked her to the ground.

“But don’t underestimate him. A ghost you cannot see can easily catch you off-guard.”

Li Qingshan came up with an idea. “Brother ox, I’ve heard that it’s possible to see ghosts if you drip the tears of cows into your eyes. Is it true?”

“Don’t look at me. This old ox has never shed any tears before.”

“They say a man sheds no tears, but that’s only when they’re not grief-stricken. Brother ox, haven’t you ever been grief-stricken before?”

The black ox turned away its head and began to ignore him.

Li Qingshan knew that brother ox truly possessed the stubbornness of an ox, so he did not say anything more. Over the past few days, they had conversed quite a lot. He could sense the black ox’s intentions to a certain degree. It did not want Li Qingshan to rely on it. He had his own path to walk. He had to handle his own matters.

Around sunset, the black ox suddenly handed a small, porcelain bottle to Li Qingshan. It did not provide any explanation and left straight through the gate, climbing up the Crouching Ox hill and gazing at the myriad mountains below the setting sun.

Li Qingshan opened the bottle and looked inside. There was a transparent, bluish liquid inside. He realised what it was and smiled brilliantly, thanking the black ox while looking at its back. He dipped a stalk of wormwood into the bottle and carefully dripped the liquid into his two eyes.

He felt nothing at the beginning, but afterwards, his eyes became hotter and hotter, swelling and becoming burning-hot. If it were not for the difficult training he had gone through in the past few days, he basically would have cried out in pain.

In a house of brick and tiles covered in smoke, a group of outsiders who had come to have their fortunes told watched in stupefaction as a piece of talisman paper flew up in the air before suddenly lighting on fire. It even burned with blue flames.

What they could not see was a pale-faced child holding up the talisman paper strenuously. All they did was lower their heads and hand all of their silver and money to the witch out of fear and awe before backing away.

The witch carefully accepted the money, and her expression suddenly twisted. “What’s the matter? Why is Li Er still alive? Have you been slacking off when you handled it? Do I have to teach you a lesson?”

The child’s stiff and blank face revealed fear as well, and he shook his head desperately.

The witch suddenly lifted the bell in her hand, and the child rampaged through the house in pain with gusts of chilling wind, dispersing the curling smoke.

Only after quite a while did the witch place down her bell. “Good, listen to granny. Granny would never treat you badly.” She handed an embroidery needle that was as thin as a strand of hair to the child. “Take this and stab out his eyes.”

The child held the needle with great difficulty and flew towards the Crouching Ox hill with the night wind.

In the gathering darkness, Li Qingshan continued to meditate with his eyes closed in the courtyard.

The child walked over and lifted the needle, slowly stabbing it towards Li Qingshan’s eyes. An ordinary person would only see a needle flying through the air. Moreover, with how thin the needle was, it was almost impossible to see it during the day, let alone during the night.

Li Qingshan seemed to sense something, and his eyes snapped open. He ignored the needle that was only inches away and stared into the child’s pitch-black pupils with his sharp gaze. “What are you trying to do?” His eyes shone brightly like two balls of flames.

Around nightfall, just as Li Qingshan was in pain, the strand of almost non-existent qi suddenly began to flow. It flowed to his eyes, and the pain immediately lessened significantly.

By the time the scorching pain had vanished, a cool sensation filled his eyes, which he found to be extremely pleasant. It was also at this moment that he suddenly experienced an omen of warning, so he opened his eyes. He happened to see the little ghost from last night, holding the needle right in front of him.

He was also surprised, experiencing some lingering fear from what had happened yesterday. Originally, he thought the witch would just use some evil schemes and that she would never confront him directly. It was not like the little ghost’s yin qi could harm him, so he could afford to be careless and underestimate this opponent. However, if it were not for the fact that he could suddenly see ghosts, he might have fallen for the sneak attack and lost his eyes, which would have made him worse off than just trying to kill her off nice and early.

The child was even more surprised. Having been glared at by Li Qingshan, he trembled all over and dropped the needle, drifting far away to avoid him.

Li Qingshan studied the little ghost carefully and discovered that he was only six or seven years old. His facial features were extremely delicate. If it were not for his overly-pale face, he really would have seemed pure and innocent. He wore robes made from silk, which should have been his attire before death. He did not seem like a ghost under control; he looked more like a little young master of a large clan.

Seeing how Li Qingshan could actually see him, the child immediately became afraid of approaching him, but he was also afraid of failing the mission and being punished by the witch, so he dared not leave. He froze up there.

Li Qingshan no longer felt any fear. Invisible things were always the most terrifying. Now that he could see it all clearly, he discovered that the little ghost was even more afraid than him. As a result, he asked, “What’s your name? Where do you come from?”

However, no matter how he asked, the child never replied with his dull face. Li Qingshan thought of something. “You can’t speak?”

The child hesitated for a while before nodding.

Li Qingshan thought about how this child was only being used by the witch. He had passed away unfortunately at such a young age, and perhaps the witch was behind his death as well. As a result, Li Qingshan felt rather sympathetic, and his tone warmed up slightly.

“You stuck to me so close last night, so what’re you hiding for now? Come over here. There are things I want to ask you.”

The child saw how his expression was no longer as frightening and took a few steps forward like a timid little animal.

Li Qingshan asked, “Since you can’t speak, then you can nod or shake your head to answer me. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The child nodded.

A man and a ghost began to communicate with each other just like this.

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Chapter 14 – Bursting Through the Door

Li Qingshan asked many questions, and the child answered all of them as if he did not know how to lie. He either nodded or shook his head, but he could only answer simple questions. Complicated questions would only leave him dazed.

When Li Qingshan asked for his name and where he came from, he shook his head for both of them. When he asked whether the witch was still hiding any tricks, the child stood there blankly.

Despite that, Li Qingshan managed to understand many things. The witch really was behind the child’s death after all, refining him into a little ghost to serve her. Originally, he could speak as well, but the witch had fed him a bowl of medicinal soup that turned him into a mute.

Li Qingshan guessed that the witch had abducted this child and was afraid he would blabber along the way, so she had turned him into a mute. However, whenever he mentioned the witch, the child’s face would become filled with fear.

Li Qingshan said gently, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. I will kill that old hag and set you free.”

Unknowingly, the child had approached Li Qingshan, and there was now attachment on his little raised head.

Li Qingshan revealed a comforting smile and wanted to touch his head, but Li Qingshan’s hand passed through his body, and he immediately froze.

The child became depressed, lowering his head and silently crying.

Li Qingshan suddenly felt sorrow well up inside. He roared at the sky. Why were there so many injustices in the world? When humans harmed each other, they were no less brutal than demons and monsters.

On the other hand, the child was stunned, looking at Li Qingshan in surprise.

Under the moonlight, the young man with unswerving determination actually had something sparkle at the corner of his eyes.

Li Qingshan mocked himself. “Looks like men really shed no tears unless they’re grief-stricken. I’ve embarrassed myself.”

The child stood on his toes and extended his hand to touch Li Qingshan’s face. He removed a tear droplet and cradled it in both hands. It seemed rather heavy to him.

“Don’t take that!” Li Qingshan turned red and suddenly understood the black ox’s difficulties slightly. How could the tears of a man be handed to someone else so casually?

He thought of what the ox had said again. Weak ghosts were incorporeal. Only when they had cultivated to a certain degree could they gradually become tangible and lift real objects. With how weak this child was, he must have only been able to carry extremely light things.

The child only lowered his head and gazed at the transparent liquid in his hands.

Li Qingshan was helpless. He looked around and felt rather strange. Why had darkness descended at such a late time tonight? The landscape around the house was somewhat gloomy, but things were still clearly visible.

However, when he raised his head to look at the moon, he suddenly realised that the night had not been delayed; rather, it was because his eyes could see better in the dark. Not only did he have night vision, but his eyes also felt like windows that had recently been wiped of dust. Everything was extremely clear.

Li Qingshan muttered to himself, “Brother ox really is a monster. His tears even have such miraculous usage.”

“It’s late. I need to go to sleep. Because of you, I wasn’t able to rest up properly last night. I still have things to do tomorrow. I need to recover my strength.”

Li Qingshan returned to his house to sleep, while the child crouched down at the entrance. Under the moonlight, he was half-transparent, just like the tear droplet in his hands.

Li Qingshan slept extremely heavily that night, only waking up when the sun was well and truly up. The child had already left, probably unwilling to move about during the day.

He washed his face and rinsed his mouth before practising the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength a little. Then he picked up the thick steel blade he had received from Li Fugui, went through his thoughts, picked up a few pieces of gazelle meat, and left through the door.

The three scoundrels were currently sitting together with worried looks. With patch-haired Liu’s death, their group had lost its backbone. Their time in the village became tougher and tougher, and they were basically detested by everyone as lowlives.

They wanted to copy patch-haired Liu’s brutality or Li Qingshan’s viciousness, but how could they manage? Even filling their bellies became an immediate problem, let alone drinking alcohol and eating meat. They could only work for caretaker Liu and barely earn a meal to eat. They were nowhere close to having it as easy as before.

At this moment, Li Qingshan suddenly visited them. The three scoundrels went up to welcome him in a hurry. He had come with a frosty look, a blade in one hand and meat in the other, naturally giving off an aura of might. No one would look down on him just because of his age.

The voices of the three scoundrels eased up slightly as well, highly praising Li Qingshan’s actions during the day before yesterday.

Li Qingshan ignored these attempts to flatter him and put down the meat. “There is something I must trouble you all with. The meat is the compensation, including for what you did last time.”

“That’ll be rude of us to accept it. Erlang, just say a word, and we’ll do anything to carry it out.” That was what the scoundrels said, but they accepted the meat in a hurry.

Just like last time, Li Qingshan said, “Come with me!” He turned around and left, but this time, there was no bravado. It was an absolute order.

The three scoundrels did not to dare hesitate, following right behind his steps.

Li Qingshan borrowed some hoes and shovels from a nearby farmer’s home first before going to Li Fugui’s house.

It just happened to be noon, around the time when the villagers had just finished their morning farmwork and were tidying up. They were all about to go home to eat. They saw Li Erlang, who just happened to be at the height of his fame in the village, leading three scoundrels to borrow tools. Who knows what he planned on doing, so they all followed behind him curiously. With that, basically the entire village had been alarmed.

They watched him arrive in front of Li Fugui’s home and wondered whether he was going to punish that drunkard. How had the drunkard offended him? They all found this to be rather shameless. He was using his advantage in numbers to harass a pitiful man who had descended into depravity. This was a complete opposite to when he faced the village head and caretaker Liu in caretaker Liu’s home. One was defying oppression, while the other was harassing the weak.

However, the three scoundrels were very happy. “I could tell a long time ago that this old drunkard is utterly worthless.” They even slapped their chests and volunteered. “I’ll drag him out right now.” It had been a long time since they could hold their heads up high. They were going to be making an example out of Li Fugui this time, beating him up in front of the crowd.

Li Qingshan glared at them and called out, “Are you coming or not?”

Just as everyone felt confused, Li Fugui rushed out of the house and gritted his teeth, “I am!”

His face was surprisingly sober, which astounded all the villagers. In the past, Li Fugui had always remained in a drunken stupor. Unbeknownst to them, after Li Qingshan left Li Fugui’s house, the man had not taken a single sip of alcohol. He thought about and longed for what Li Qingshan had promised, but he never thought that Li Qingshan would come on the very next day.

With that, the villagers felt even more confused, and their interest was piqued as well.

Li Qingshan nodded. He walked at the front with his head held high, leading the group of people to the witch’s brick house. He saw that the main entrance was tightly shut. Clearly, he had alarmed her already. Seeing this, he ordered the three rascals, “Smash it open!”

The three scoundrels immediately became timid. There was not a single person in the village who did not fear the witch. Even when patch-haired Liu was around, they were never bold enough to offend her, and the house of brick and tiles that also served as a shrine had a mysterious, holy air around it. They had already lost count of just how many times they had heard of strange things happening there.

The other villagers saw how he was actually making trouble for the witch, and all of them erupted in an uproar as well.

Someone tried to persuade him, “Erlang, don’t mess around!”

There was also someone absolutely terrified. “Your disrespect to the gods will lead to retribution.” He was a devout believer of the witch. If it were not for his fear of the blade in Li Qingshan’s hand, he might have come up and tried to reason with him.

Li Qingshan said nothing. With a bang, he kicked open the wooden door. The door panels that were as thick as an arm snapped into pieces, producing quite a loud sound and startling the villagers into silence.

Li Qingshan looked back and ordered the three scoundrels, “Keep guard outside. Don’t let anyone in.”

The three scoundrels obliged reluctantly. At least they did not have to go in.

Li Qingshan stepped over the door sill and strode into the courtyard. He arrived before the entrance to the hall and was about to kick through the door.

The doors opened by themselves. It was clearly noon when the sun was dazzling, but it was a black mess inside. A cold, gloomy breeze blew over.

The witch wore brightly-coloured robes and sat on the altar, speaking with a different voice, “Li Erlang, do you know your crimes?”

Schwing! Li Qingshan drew the steel blade and yelled out, “Hand over your life!”

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Chapter 15 – The Witch’s Death

The witch extended her finger, and a clump of black mist surged forth. Many vicious faces of agony could be vaguely made out in the mist.

This was the witch’s trump card, called Ghost Mist, created by combining heavy yin qi and resentment. She usually kept it in an urn, which she buried underground to absorb yin qi. She would only use it when she absolutely had to. Moreover, since this Ghost Mist lacked intelligence and only possessed resentment, it was extremely difficult to control. It could end up backfiring from the slightest of carelessness.

She had only used it in a hurry when she saw how Li Qingshan had come with great fury. However, the might of the Ghost Mist was extraordinary as well. Once ordinary people became enveloped by it, they would immediately fall unconscious, and the most vicious part about it was that it was just like ghosts, between tangible and intangible. Ordinary people could not see it at all.

If Li Qingshan had not opened his eyes with the ox tears, he would have fallen for it. The effects of all these days of strenuous practice finally showed itself. He moved to one side and dodged the Ghost Mist, continuing his charge at the witch.

The witch had never expected Li Qingshan to actually be able to see the Ghost Mist, so she immediately panicked. She hurriedly waved a bell. “Xiao An, Xiao An! Get out here! Kill him!”

The child called Xiao An crouched in a corner. His face was in pain, but he clutched his head without moving.

In an instant, Li Qingshan used the Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves and stamped the ground heavily. He left behind a deep footprint as he flew up into the air before swinging down with his blade.

With a flash of cold light, blood splattered everywhere. Li Qingshan had forcefully chopped off the bell-wielding hand that was as spindly as a chicken’s foot along the wrist.

Li Qingshan did not even have the time to examine the effects of his slash before sensing an attack of yin qi from behind. Smelling living people, the Ghost Mist was like a wild beast that had just smelled blood, surging over under the control of its resentment.

Li Qingshan did not dare to stop. He charged forward, but he felt that the Ghost Mist did not follow him over. Instead, he heard a miserable wail from behind. Looking back, he saw the Ghost Mist envelop the witch as the ghost faces chomped away at her body.

Even Li Qingshan had failed to anticipate something like this.

As it turned out, the witch had lost control over the Ghost Mist due to the pain, immediately leading to it backfiring.

There was no hatred without a cause, no debt without a creditor.

All of this evil had originated from the witch, and she was the one to reap what she had sown. Her whole body twisted as her flesh withered away as a visible rate.

Li Qingshan watched on in delight as he laughed aloud.

The trace of pity and sympathy that originally existed in him had been forcefully suppressed because he felt shame. To an innocent child in distress, he would be willing to sing out his grief and shed his tears, but to this person who was even worse than an animal, he wanted to obliterate any compassion and roar out with laughter.

People covered the walls and entrance outside as they all looked into the house. It was impossible for the three scoundrels to stop them once they became curious. They could only let them be and claim the best viewing spot at the entrance for themselves.

They watched Li Qingshan enter the house and rise up into the air, cutting off the witch’s arm. Afterwards, the witch collapsed on the ground and wailed in agony as Li Qingshan laughed like a madman. It gave them all goosebumps.

Many of them had fallen off the walls from fright, and the three scoundrels fell back on their bottoms as their legs gave way as well. They thought about how they had once mocked and insulted Li Qingshan in the past. Now, they felt extremely regretful. Someone like him was not a person they could afford to provoke.

Li Qingshan watched the Ghost Mist gradually disperse. Once its resentment had all been vented, it would stop. As for the witch, she lay on the ground on her last gasp. She had actually survived, but she was clearly close to death. She must have practised some kind of cultivation method, which was why she had managed to hang on.

The witch extended her remaining chicken claw towards the child in the corner. She seemed like she was pleading, but it was also like she was expressing her resentment as she called out, “Xiao An! Xiao An!”

Xiao An looked at her in confusion and fear. Li Qingshan said, “I’ll send you off!” He stabbed down with his steel blade.

Caretaker Liu and village head Li rushed over after receiving the news. They just happened to see this, and the witch had taken her last breath before they could even yell out something like ‘Spare her!’. They looked at each other and both became covered in cold sweat. They thought about how the witch had boldly claimed that Li Qingshan’s days were numbered just the day before yesterday, yet today, she had lost her life.

Fortunately, they had not crossed the line with Li Qingshan that day, or who knows what would have happened.

This was the second time Li Qingshan had killed someone. Compared to his panic in the darkness during the first time, he felt extremely composed under the light of day. The improvement of his mental state had even surprised himself slightly. He wondered, Has my demonic nature been roused by the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength? Or should I say, this is who I’ve always been?

In his past life, in that current society that blurred the line between right and wrong, who knows how many people were forced to hide their true nature, only able to go with the flow and complying with everything that happened to them. Let alone an adult in his thirties or forties, but even children and youths lacked enthusiasm and ambition. He had only been one of the many people out there, no different from the ordinary person.

Having experienced life and death through transmigration, it instead agitated his lofty aspirations, making him reluctant to live another life of mediocrity. Yet, he ended up being stuck in this tiresome life in this tiny mountain village for fifteen years. Finally, he had obtained a chance. The moment his lofty aspirations were set free, they rampaged like mad demons, never able to be locked up again.

Li Qingshan stopped laughing and turned his head. “Please don’t panic. This old hag asked for all of this herself, and this all only serves her right. I still need you to uphold justice.”

You charged in and commited murder in the light of day, yet you still want us to uphold justice. These words only crossed their minds as thoughts. Obviously, no one was brave enough to say it aloud.

Suddenly, a person charged out from the crowd and arrived in front of Li Qingshan. He smacked his head against the ground three times with a series of thuds before raising it. “I killed her. It’s got nothing to do with Erlang! That damned hag destroyed my family. Xiao Mao, I’ve avenged you!” After saying that, he broke into tears and laughter. It was Li Fugui. The great burden that had pressed against his chest for all these years had suddenly been lifted. He felt like even if he died right now, he would be content.

There was not a single person in the village who did not know about Li Fugui’s tragedy. They could not help but remain silent.

Only caretaker Liu felt awkward and afraid. It was exactly because of this tragedy that Li Fugui began to exchange his fertile farmland for alcohol to drown away his sorrow, which was also why caretaker Liu had gained the glorious nickname of Half-village Liu. If Li Qingshan suspected that he had been collaborating with the witch, then he would be screwed.

Li Qingshan said, “I always bear the consequences of my actions! I have no need for you to bear the blame. Please come with me!” He called out to the three rascals as well as a few respected elders of the village. They arrived at the witch’s backyard.

Li Qingshan looked back. His gaze landed on the area below the eaves of the building before he nodded. Everyone followed his gaze and looked over, but there was nothing. Xiao An was currently hiding in the shade, pointing at an area.

Under Li Qingshan’s order, the three scoundrels began to dig. They were all under Li Qingshan’s watch, so they all dug as hard as they could, afraid of slacking off. Before long, they had excavated a pit and dug out a skeleton.

Li Qingshan went into the pit and collected the remains. He glanced back below the eaves and ordered, “Keep digging!” These were not Xiao An’s remains.

Under Xiao An’s guidance, Li Qingshan had them dig around some other places, and they excavated a few more bones. Everyone in the surroundings was shocked. Why were there so many skeletons buried in the witch’s backyard? Moreover, all of them seemed to belong to children.

Li Qingshan was rather surprised as well as his expression grew sterner. He knew that these were victims to the evil arts the witch had been practising. The cluster of Ghost Mist filled with resentment must have come from here. He only regretted giving the witch too easy of a death.

At this moment, there was a ding like they had hit something. They carefully dug it out, only to find a porcelain jar. It was tightly sealed.

Before Li Qingshan could stop them, the three scoundrels scrambled to open the jar. A small cluster of black gas rushed out and squirmed into the mouth and nose of a scoundrel as if it were afraid of sunlight.

The scoundrel shuddered and fell unconscious on the spot. Before long, he stopped breathing.

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Chapter 16 – White Bone and White Silver

The two other scoundrels paled and became immobilised with fright, but the items in the porcelain jar immediately blinded their eyes. Pieces of glistening silver filled the jar. They had never seen so much money in their lives. Even caretaker Liu and a few village elders who were on their last legs were visibly moved.

Li Qingshan pushed them away, and they almost flew into a rage. No matter how cowardly people were, they would be tempted by wealth and could become vicious for it. However, when they saw it was Li Qingshan, they were afraid of doing anything.

Li Qingshan was in no mood to care about their thoughts. He placed the jar aside. A tiny skeleton laid below the jar. Blood and flesh had already rotted off from the skeleton completely, revealing a greyish-white colour. Who knows how long it had been buried there.

Xiao An finally nodded, and Li Qingshan sighed gently. He looked around and tipped out all of the silver in the porcelain jar before storing the skeleton inside.

The silver pieces rolled onto the floor and formed quite a pile.

With that, everyone’s eyes became glued to the pile. They even stopped caring about the remains.

Caretaker Liu was someone experienced and knowledgeable, having gone out and seen the world. He roughly estimated that there were several hundred taels of silver there. Even he became green with greed, let alone the others.

In a tiny mountain village like this, that was truly a tremendous sum.

Li Qingshan had never expected the witch to have managed to extort so much silver over the years either. As the saying went, wealth tempts people. He was not an otherworldly immortal who had transcendent worldly affairs, so he was also affected by the sum. After all, there were plenty of aspects where he would have to spend money in the future!

Just in terms of meat, he did not want to continue relying on the black ox. Since the black ox wanted him to be independent, he wanted to show it just how independent he could be. Moreover, he wanted to change up his tastes. Maybe he could go to the market and buy some good alcohol as well.

However, he also understood the principle of ‘The wages of avarice is death’. If he took all of the silver with him, these people would be afraid of saying anything due to fearing his might, but they would definitely resent him, which would bury quite a large seed of misfortune. Even the death of the witch might not be able to pacify them.

“Village head Li, you are the person of the highest prestige and respect in this village. Let’s hear if you have any plans regarding this silver.” Li Qingshan wiped off the blood from his steel blade and stowed it back into the sheathe. He seemed to be letting village head Li take charge, but he stressed the words ‘highest prestige and respect’ when he mentioned it.

“I’m flattered, but it’s all thanks to Erlang for removing such a great menace from the village. You should be the one who decides what happens to this silver.” The village head had just played a disgraceful role a few days ago, so he felt like Li Qingshan’s words were filled with intimidation. How could he ever agree to his suggestion?

Li Qingshan looked around, and all those he saw nodded in a hurry. “You decide, Erlang!” Only then did he nod slowly. He did not mind sharing some silver in exchange for peace, but if there really were someone ignorant enough to decide what to do with his spoils of battle, then they would have to ask whether the blade in his hand agreed to it or not.

Every single person in the crowd was much older than Li Qingshan, yet they had to follow the arrangements of a fifteen year old. However, none of them felt unhappy with that. The current Li Qingshan was no longer the Li Qingshan of the past. His viciousness and decisiveness that came with drawing the blade and committing murder had stunned them.

Li Qingshan sat down to split the silver. He pressed one hand on the porcelain jar that held the white skeleton as he leaned on his blade with the other hand. The adults and old people all lowered their heads and listened to him closely.

However, the first person to receive a share of silver surprised all of them slightly.

“Uncle Fugui, the witch destroyed your family, so you deserve compensation. You better take this silver. Don’t drown yourself in alcohol anymore. Only then can you console the dead.” Li Qingshan used the sheath of the blade and parted some silver from the edge of the pile.

“H- how can I accept that!” Li Fugui had never expected Li Qingshan to say that. He was at a loss as for what to do.

“Take it!” Li Qingshan actually did this more to thank and praise him for his courage of standing forward and trying to bear the blame for the murder.

Li Fugui accepted the silver in gratitude and bewilderment.

Next, Li Qingshan called over the two scoundrels. “This is for you.” He glanced at the dead scoundrel on the ground. “And him too. Take him back and bury him. Work and earn a living properly in the future. Don’t continue doing underhanded things like stealing, or you’ll probably end up suffering the same fate.”

The two scoundrels were both surprised and overjoyed as they collected their silver. When Li Qingshan mentioned their companion, they became rather pale, but they did not seem particularly anguished. Who knows whether they could purposefully shell out money to have their companion buried.

In the end, Li Qingshan clasped his fist at caretaker Liu, village head Li, and the group of village elders. “In the past few days, I have offended you all. Please take this silver as an apology. I hope you can forgive me for my ignorance. However, if there are any more people who disrespect the old, harass the weak, or other fellow villagers…” That was how he put it, but he did not seem apologetic at all. Towards the end, he even became stern.

“That’ll never happen! That’ll never happen!” These people said together.

Li Qingshan nodded and split out a pile of silver for them to share between themselves.

“What about the other villagers?” Village head Li received his own share of silver and looked at the large pile that remained. Since even a victim like Li Fugui had received a share, there were plenty of other victims in the village. It could be said that every family had given the witch offerings before.

Li Qingshan glanced at him. “Does anyone have any objections?” He sympathised with the villagers who had been deceived, but he had no plans on compensating others for their stupidity. If he had not killed the witch in such a swift manner, it might have even been possible for their fear towards the witch to impel them to turn against him.

Moreover, how was he supposed to split it? Who was supposed to receive more and who was supposed to receive less? It was impossible to be fair, and in the end, it was very possible that not only would he receive no benefits from this at all, he would even become resented by many instead.

The village head had realised this as well. He wanted this youth, who was at the height of his influence, to hit a stumbling block. At the end of the day, what did the interests of the village have anything to do with him? Instead, the person right before him threatened his authority in the village more and more. Who knows, maybe a few years later, when Li Qingshan truly became an adult, he might even end up losing his position as village head.

However, he never expected Li Qingshan to be so meticulous with his thoughts despite his age. The glance that seemed to have pierced through his thoughts made him tremble with fear, afraid to say anything more.

Li Qingshan wrapped up the remaining silver. “Then please explain this matter to the other villagers. If any of you run your tongue carelessly and it reaches my ears, hmph!”

Everyone agreed to that. They were standing right in front of a weapon, and they had all received benefit from this incident as well, so none of them would just blabber.

Under village head Li’s lead, everyone arrived outside and provided an explanation to the villagers, commending Li Qingshan tremendously for eliminating a menace. Some of the devout believers of the witch originally refused to accept it, but when the skeletons were carried out one by one, all of them shut up. There were so many remains buried in her backyard, so how could she be any good?

No one was willing to offend a strong and vicious character like Li Qingshan for the sake of a dead person, not to mention the group of ‘respected and authoritative’ elders.

Li Qingshan did not make an appearance himself. Instead, he picked up the bronze bell in the witch’s severed hand. He could vaguely sense the spiritual nature that made it different from regular items. He asked Xiao An, “Did she use this to control you?”

Xiao An nodded and gazed at the bell extremely nervously.

Li Qingshan grabbed the bell and twisted it, deforming its shape. All of its special effects vanished immediately. Afterwards, he arrived at the entrance and threw it away as hard as he could. He turned around and smiled. “You’re free!”

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Chapter 17 – The Umbral Yin Ghost Control Technique

Xiao An was both happy and confused.

Li Qingshan searched through the witch’s house again. Xiao An stuck right behind him before suddenly extending his small hand and tugging at Li Qingshan’s trousers, pointing at a particular place.

Li Qingshan found a secret compartment in the wall. It contained a stack of paper, consisting completely of silver notes. He could vaguely recall that there were also private banks in this world, but this was the first time he had seen proper silver notes.

The witch must have buried the pieces of silver when she was still fit. Afterwards, as her strength declined with her age, it became impossible for her to continue digging. As a result, she had exchanged her earnings in the past few years for these convenient silvernotes. There were roughly several hundred taels in the secret compartments. She was so wealthy, yet she had actually fallen out with him over a single boar’s head, consequently dying in the end.

Li Qingshan finally found what he was looking for at the very bottom of the secret compartment. It was a single leaf out of a book, covered in tiny writing. He glanced through it roughly, and it was a technique to refine souls and control ghosts. The edge of the page was uneven like it had been ripped out of a book.

Li Qingshan practised the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength and had barely managed to witness the path of cultivation, so he was curious about other techniques as well. He had never thought that the witch’s strange techniques would actually come from a single page of a book. If she had possessed the entire book, he probably would have lost his life here today.

However, if the witch had the entire book, it was unlikely for her to hole up in the Crouching Ox village for half her life. The witch was not a part of the village originally, having suddenly settled down here several decades ago. No one knew her origins. As for how she had obtained this page, Li Qingshan was at a loss as well.

However, below the page was another silver note. It actually amounted to a thousand taels. The silver note was extremely yellowed; evidently, it had quite some age to it. She had definitely received it before coming to the village. It also made the witch’s origins even more confusing.

Li Qingshan asked Xiao An, “Do you recognise this?” He felt like this might have some connection to Xiao An’s origins.

Xiao An remained dull and silent, neither shaking or nodding his head.

Li Qingshan knew that the question had already exceeded the limits of what the child could answer. Obviously, Li Qingshan kindly accepted everything in the secret compartment without holding back at all. When he was about to leave, he felt Xiao An tug his trousers again.

Li Qingshan looked back and saw him with a face filled with confusion; he was just like a lost child. He was indescribably pitiful. Li Qingshan’s heart softened. He squatted down and asked gently, “You don’t have anywhere to go?”

Xiao An nodded and Li Qingshan said, “Then you can keep me company!” As he said that, he opened the porcelain jar. He knew that Xiao An was afraid of moving about under the sunlight.

Xiao An smiled bashfully and flew into the jar.

Li Qingshan returned to his house with the jar. After burying the jar behind his house, he made a small burial mound.

The black ox returned and asked, “You’ve succeeded?”

Li Qingshan replied, “What’s so difficult about dealing with an old hag?” Afterwards, he showed the ox his spoils of battle this time. He took out the page, gave it to the black ox to take a look, and asked, “Is this also an ability? Can I practise it?”

“It’s an incomplete piece of paper, so obviously it’s nothing much. However, this page originates from an ability called the Umbral Yin Ghost Control technique. Who knows how she got her hands on this. However, practising something incomplete like that probably won’t bring about any benefits. Haven’t you ever heard of biting off more than you can chew? You better achieve something with the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers first!” The black ox glanced at him and stated the origins of the page.

“Then which one is better, the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers or the Umbral Yin Ghost Control technique?”

“If it were the original version of the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers, that’ll be difficult to say. Although the Umbral Yin Ghost Control technique does not focus on personal cultivation, it can amass a great deal of ghosts to overpower opponents with numbers. It’s an ability for battle. If you can’t defeat the caster in a single stroke, it’s extremely easy for you to be swallowed up by a sea of ghosts.”

“Then what about the strength of the ox demon and tiger demon that I cultivate?”

“It obviously outclasses it.”

With that, Li Qingshan settled down and no longer hesitated. He casually stowed the page away.

His other spoils were nothing more than silver. Originally, Li Qingshan thought the black ox would not care about these worldly objects of white and yellow, but he never expected the black ox to firmly say after hearing him, “Good. Compared to that piece of torn paper, this is what matters!”

He looked down on an ability, yet he placed great focus on the silver. Even for Li Qingshan, who had undergone the black ox’s teachings of eating meat and drinking alcohol, he could not help but feel shocked at a time like this. Brother ox sure was grounded to the secular world.

The black ox could tell what he was thinking. “Haven’t you heard of the four words, wealth, companionship, method, and environment? They’re the crucial requirements to cultivation, and wealth ranks first amongst them.”

Li Qingshan nodded. “No matter what I do, I need a financial foundation.” If the ox had not been providing the most important element so far, food, he would have no way to cultivate even if he possessed the secrets to a divine art right in his hands. “Though, I don’t think I’ll be able to spend too much money!” A sum of over one thousand taels of silver was a tremendous amount. If he only bought alcohol and meat, it could last a very long time.

The black ox said, “You’ve always been asking me just how long you’ll need before you’ll be able to achieve something with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength.”

“Yeah, but you always refuse to tell me.”

“I can tell you now. At the rate you’re cultivating currently, if nothing unexpected happens, it’ll probably take you ten years before you reach the first layer of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, giving you the strength of an ox!”

“Ten years!” Li Qingshan’s mouth hung open in surprise.

“And that’s towards the shorter side of things. If you come across a bottleneck, it’ll be even more difficult to say. The stronger the ability, the harder it is to practise. Do you really think daoist abilities are a peasant’s tricks, where you can achieve something just by some slight practise then proceed to dominate the world? You’d better wake up!”

Li Qingshan felt like a cold bucket of water had been poured over him. All of his joy from killing the witch vanished. “In other words, if I want to complete the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers, I’ll need one hundred and ten years at the very least?” He could not imagine how he might turn out to be after a hundred and ten years.

“Wrong. Abilities get more difficult the further you practise. It’s nothing surprising if you don’t complete it even in a couple hundred years. However, you don’t have to worry too much. With each layer you achieve, your body will be consolidated, and your lifespan will obviously increase.”

“Then what am I supposed to do!?” Li Qingshan personally believed he had extraordinary willpower, able to endure practise everyday without stopping. However, if he had to last like this for a few hundred years, he felt like he would go crazy just from the thought of it.

The black ox was just about done with its psychological blows. It donned a smug expression of ‘Kid, do you know how powerful it is now?’Then the ox said, “If you want to reduce this time, the simplest method happens to fall on the word, wealth.”

Despite Li Qingshan’s strange expression, a list flew into his hands. The list stated several dozen medicines. “What’s this?”

“To be used to make soup and alcohol. It’s all tricks that even mortals know. It doesn’t matter if you’re missing any medicines from the list as long as you’re not missing the most crucial one.”

“Ginseng!” Li Qingshan already saw the medicine listed at the very top.

This was probably the most common and most easily obtainable spiritual medicine in the world. It was known as the King of Herbs, able to replenish vitality tremendously. In Chinese medicine, there was a soup of revival that would allow people on the brink of death to regain enough of their strength to leave behind their wills. In reality, it was ginseng soup.

“It’s exactly ginseng.”

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Chapter 18 – Scholar Tree Wood Nurtures Ghosts

“Then there doesn’t really seem to be a difference between me and regular practitioners of martial arts?”

“Of course there is a difference. Due to their frail constitutions, regular people often cannot intake overly strong or nutritious medicines. Not only will it bring no benefit, but it’ll even be detrimental instead. I didn’t tell you this from the beginning because your body was still frail. It would have been useless if I told you anyway.”

“You’ve been slowly fixing this over the past few days, and you managed to refine a sliver of true qi. As such, you’ve basically fulfilled the basic requirement. I just happened to be thinking of ways for you to make money, but I can save some of that trouble now. However, this amount of money probably won’t last you for too long.”

Li Qingshan understood the differences as well. He could eat more ginseng than regular people without having to worry about developing ulcers or nosebleeds. His body was like a cauldron. He would use his ability to refine and absorb all the vitality that went into his body so that nothing went to waste.

This also meant that Li Qingshan needed to buy a tremendous amount of ginseng. However, regardless of the day or age, ginseng would always be an expensive medicinal herb.

However, he needed to eat ginseng like carrots. He would probably run out of money no matter how much he had.

Just how much ginseng could he buy with the silver that amounted to a little over a thousand taels? He could not help but consider this problem!

After lamenting, Li Qingshan had to admit that this was not bad news. The rate at which his strength grew would reach a whole new level.

For a single breakthrough in strength, regular people would need to search for rare spiritual pills and wondrous medicines, which might not necessarily be effective in the first place. However, all he needed to eat was easily found and obtained, and his strength would constantly grow. Who knew how many people would be envious of him if they knew, so how could he be dissatisfied?

As for the gold and the silver, there would always be a way. Once he was powerful enough, would money still pose an issue?

“This little ghost is pretty interesting.” The black ox arrived behind Li Qingshan and used its round eyes to stare at Xiao An, who hid behind Li Qingshan. He had always been hiding there, quietly sticking out his head to study the black ox out of curiosity.

Xiao An was frightened into hiding once again, afraid of facing the talking bovine. Although the black ox did not possess anything terrifying like a murderous or a vicious aura, he basically avoided it out of instinct.

“Are you talking about Xiao An? There’s nowhere for him to go right now, so I’m going to take care of him for now. You wouldn’t mind it, would you?” Li Qingshan said casually. If the black ox did mind, he obviously would not mention it right in front of Xiao An.

“She used an incomplete piece of paper, yet she actually managed to refine a ghost slave. Moreover, it is a ghost slave that can wield objects. Unbelievable. Either this old woman is a genius at refining ghosts, or this little ghost’s spiritual constitution is rather special. However, seeing how the old woman had been refining for all these years and sacrificed so many experimental subjects with only one case of success, it must be the latter.”

Li Qingshan looked at Xiao An. What was peculiar about him? Though, a little ghost was something extremely bizarre in the first place.

The black ox said, “This might be your best spoil from that battle. Why don’t you accept him as a ghost slave? This child might be of great use to you in the future.”

“What ghost slave? He’s just a kid. I’ve already promised him his freedom.” Even during the most difficult of times, Li Qingshan would never betray his morals. For example, he had refused to sell the black ox to cover his travelling expenses. It was even more impossible for him to do so now.

The black ox felt like he had spoken too much, so he yawned. “Whatever you want. However, now that he has lost his master, and there’s no one feeding him, he’ll run out of spiritual qi before long. Subsequently, his soul will disperse.”

Soul will disperse! Xiao An blinked his eyes in confusion.

“Ghosts aren’t pets or livestock, so why would they still need to be fed?”

“The dead cannot remain in the living world. Even extremely powerful ghosts cannot withstand mere sunlight. Even a strong gale can destroy them. If every single dead person would leave behind a ghost in the living world, who knows how many ghosts there would be in the world after all this time?”

“Then what should I do?”

Around dusk, Li Qingshan strode through the forest with an axe on his shoulder as a transparent little ghost roamed around him.

He would run far away to the side of the stream and study a fish curiously at times, or fly into the branches and touch a bird at others. However, before Li Qingshan could call for him, he would return to his side like a gust of wind, staring at him eagerly.

Li Qingshan shook his head and smiled back. He had developed a slight sense of responsibility for this child.

However, behind them, the flying bird would seize up and fall from the branch, while the fish in the water would float to the surface with its belly up, indicating that this was not an ordinary child; instead, he was a dangerous ghost.

Li Qingshan combed through the forest carefully and finally stopped before a huge scholar tree that could only be embraced by a dozen or so people. He picked up his axe and began chopping.

He did not know any axe style or blade style, but the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength included the most basic and profound ways of using his strength. He could handle any weapon in his hand skillfully.

Every swing of the axe landed at the same location heavily.

Wood chips flew, and the huge tree fell.

Li Qingshan paid no attention to anything else. He only cut out a tiny piece of the pith from the very centre and presented it to Xiao An.

Xiao An extended his hand and touched the pith before delight flooded his little face. In the end, he turned into a slight breeze and entered the piece of wood.

Li Qingshan smiled. This was something the black ox had taught him. He had to find an ancient scholar tree that was over a hundred years old. Scholar tree wood could naturally attract yin spirits and were highly beneficial to ghosts. Now that he had tried it, he found it to be true.

As a result, he no longer needed to worry about Xiao An dispersing.

Returning to his house, he sat down on a large rock in front of the entrance and carved the pith into a wooden tablet. After polishing it carefully, he carved the word ‘An’ onto it before wearing it on his waist. His yang qi as a living person could slowly nourish Xiao An’s soul.

He could also borrow Xiao An’s yin qi to practise controlling his own qi.

In the small courtyard, Li Qingshan sat on the ground and constantly called out, “Xiao An, the neck!”

Xiao An hugged his neck, and under the stimulation of the yin qi, the sliver of true qi in Li Qingshan’s body began to move, flowing to his neck.

“Right arm!”

Xiao An quickly moved himself and hugged Li Qingshan’s arm. Although his delicate face was still pale, an innocent smile covered it. It was like this was an extremely fun game.

Only when the moon had risen beyond the trees did Li Qingshan stand up. At this time, Xiao An backed away reluctantly.

Under Xiao An’s assistance, the sliver of true qi in Li Qingshan’s body became much more docile. On the other hand, Xiao An’s eyes became brighter, no longer as dull as before.

Li Qingshan thought that it probably was not just because of being nourished with yang qi. No matter how clever and sensible a child was, once they were taken away from their parents and abused and beaten freely, they would probably all become dull like that.

Now that he was free, and his life had gradually returned to normal, the liveliness in his heart had begun to sprout.

Xiao An looked at Li Qingshan eagerly. He still could not speak, but his eyes clearly dictated. “Again!”

“Enough. This isn’t a game. We’ll stop here for today. Maybe tomorrow evening!”

Xiao An nodded obediently. He would never be as mischievous as a regular child, but he was unable to hide his disappointment.

Li Qingshan felt utterly helpless against that. “Fine then. Again!”

Xiao An smiled bashfully, but his ears immediately pricked up.

“Left leg! The back!”

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Chapter 19 – The Might of the Ox Demon

Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, autumn had arrived. The maple leaves in the mountains gradually reddened as the golden ears of rice swelled up bit by bit.

An ox cart slowly rolled through the path between the fields. No one controlled the black ox that pulled a cart covered in a thick layer of hides. Atop the hides was a young man with a piece of straw in his mouth, resting on his arms leisurely as he looked at the sky. Tied to his waist was a blade and a wooden tablet. He was Li Qingshan.

Currently, he was heading to Cypress Stream town more than five kilometres away with over a thousand taels of silver on him. In such a remote mountain hamlet, trying to spend money was really difficult.

If he wanted to make purchases, he could only go to larger towns or cities. Qingyang city had an abundance of goods, but it was simply too far away, and it definitely would not be cheap.

He could only fall back on his second choice and go to the town. At a set time every month, the town would hold a large-scale gathering. When that happened, the people of the nearby villages would all go to the town for the market and buy, sell, or exchange items. This was the best time to buy ginseng. He had gathered quite a number of beast hides as well, so he could use this opportunity to get them off his hands.

Originally, Li Qingshan did not want the black ox to pull the cart anymore, but the black ox did not mind continuing being an ordinary beast of burden.

When he arrived at Cypress Stream village, the sun had only just risen. The small town was bustling with people shuffling about. Many small pedlars called out loudly to sell their goods. It was an extremely lively sight.

Li Qingshan found an empty place and spread out the hides on the cloth canvas he had prepared beforehand. He did not copy others by calling out; instead, he simply sat by the side and meditated. He did not let this opportunity to cultivate pass by.

The sliver of weak qi in his body had already become much larger. He was like a child who just loved playing around, constantly controlling the sliver of true qi to move through his body.

He did not move, but this was extremely exhausting. Li Qingshan would open his eyes from time to time to answer customers who had come to ask for the price.

He possessed a tremendous sum on him, and he did not have any plans to make a lot of money from the hides. He only wanted to get rid of them as quickly as possible so that he could buy ginseng. As a result, the price was extremely cheap.

Although he was resistant to bargaining, business was still extremely successful. It was almost winter, and Li Qingshan himself had first-hand experience of the agony of biting, cold winds. There was not a single normal person who did not want a set of leather shoes or a coat, so a great group of people gathered around him before long.

“Move! Move!” A few young men with hunting knives and bows and arrows on their backs parted the crowd with hostility. They surrounded Li Qingshan’s canvas, casting a shadow over him.

Li Qingshan opened his eyes. “What do you require of me?” His insight was no longer the same as before. He could tell with a single glance that these people were difficult to deal with.

Although all of them were young and none of them seemed particularly vicious, they all possessed a vigorous aura of murder. If patch-haired Liu was only a mangy dog that barked about, they would be vicious watch dogs. Any single one of them could easily kill patch-haired Liu.

A short, valiant man with a short beard asked, “Where did you get your hides from?”

His companions extended their hands and played around the hides and discovered that it really was just like the rumours. The hides did not have any arrow holes or any other traces of damage. They were rare hides of superior quality, but they were being sold for even less than regular hides.

“If you want it, then buy it. If you don’t want it, then leave. Don’t block the sunlight.” Li Qingshan could not be bothered to make up a lie and answer for these strangers. He shut his eyes again and continued to cultivate.

The people in the surroundings had already backed away, but they did not leave. Instead, more and more people gathered over. There were various discussions, but all of it was clearly audible.

“Aren’t they hunters from the Drawn Reins village?” “He’s actually bold enough to look down on people from the Drawn Reins village. How many lives does he think he has?”

Drawn Reins village! Li Qingshan’s heart skipped a beat. Even with how he lived under a rock, this place still reverberated through his ears like thunder. This was one of the villages near Cypress Stream town. It was located extremely deeply within the myriad mountains. The people that dwelled there were all hunters of several generations. No wonder they possessed such an aura.

Compared to a village that mainly focused on agriculture like Crouching Ox village, the people of Drawn Reins village were much fiercer. They would face off against wild beasts within the mountains every day. They even practised martial arts that had been passed down by their ancestors. Not only were they beyond the government of Qingyang city’s control, but they never even paid taxes either.

There had once been people from Qingyang city who had tried to launch a punitive expedition against the village. However, before they could even reach it, they fell for countless traps and ambushes. By the time they arrived at the village after much difficulty, they had already lost half of their men, and their morale was at an absolute low. The leading general could only draw in his reins before the village and flee back to Qingyang city in dejection.

As a result, the original name of the village had been forgotten by people, being changed to ‘Drawn Reins village’.

As a result, it was obvious just how proud the people from there would be for being part of a village that could repel an army. If a half-grown teenager wanted to stand against them, it would be utterly hopeless without a doubt.

The short young man said furiously, “You can’t sell these hides here!”

“How come?” Li Qingshan opened his eyes; light seemed to flash through them.

It made the young men think of the beasts in the mountains. The shining eyes in the dark made them raise their guards instinctively, but they were not afraid. They were hunters who fought against such wild beasts. At the same time, they saw how Li Qingshan was dressed as a farmer, so they looked down on him even more. “Because I don’t want you to!” He extended a hand and tried to flip over Li Qingshan’s canvas.

A large, coarse hand clamped down on the young man’s hand like a metal lock, actually causing him some pain.

The young man was surprised. This guy is strong. However, his reaction was not delayed at all, and he directly threw a punch with his left hand at Li Qingshan’s face.

His companions showed no intentions of interfering, only watching on from one side. They seemed extremely confident, and they even smiled with contempt.

Speaking of which, this was the first time Li Qingshan had actually fought against someone. Patch-haired Liu was unable to put up any resistance at all when he was drunk, while the witch had died when the Ghost Mist backfired.

The punch pierced through the air, giving him no time to think. However, he had not been cultivating all these days for nothing. Li Qingshan twisted his head to one side instinctively, stamped with his right foot, and twisted his body forwards.

Using his spine as his core, the muscles throughout his body pulsed, and his shoulder slammed towards the young man with tremendous force.

A shoulder slam was an extremely common move among fist styles. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength included it as well. He also fused the three forms into it when he used this move.

The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves consolidated his footing and allowed him to draw strength from the ground. The Ox Demon Forges its Hide toughened his body such that he was immovable. The Ox Demon Butts its Horns allowed him to use his body as a horn to butt his opponent. He completed all of this in one stroke.

The black ox was crouching on the ground behind and nodded in satisfaction.

However, the young man paled in fright. He felt like he had been struck by a charging bull. His chest ached as he was thrown away, falling into the crowd. He felt like all of his bones had become dislocated.

The discussions within the surrounding crowd were silenced, while the young man’s companions were stunned. They attacked him furiously.

Li Qingshan grew stern. Fighting a single opponent and taking on many at the same time were two completely different matters altogether. Unless the difference in strength was tremendous, it was difficult to take down several people with just two hands. Once a bull became encircled by a group of vicious hunting dogs, the only fate that awaited it was being ripped to pieces and dying.

In the face of danger, the sliver of true qi in his body became active. It flowed into Li Qingshan’s eyes, which he placed all of his focus on. He only felt their movements suddenly slow down, becoming so slow that even their angry expressions became clearly visible.

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Chapter 20 – Slight Renown

In all likelihood, this was not just the power of the true qi but the wondrous effects of the black ox’s tears as well.

He ducked and dodged a punch. With the Ox Demon’s Butts its Horns, he punched out with both hands and knocked over another young hunter.

However, at the same time, a hunter had already arrived behind him, punching at the centre of his back viciously. The two other young hunters grabbed Li Qingshan’s waist from left and right, pulling him down to the ground fiercely.

They spent their entire time hunting in the mountains, so they knew the technique of surrounding their opponent. They were not brawling ruffians. Even if Li Qingshan could defeat any single one of them individually, he immediately lost the upper hand now.

Seeing how it was too late to block, Li Qingshan completely focused on his back, and the sliver of true qi flowed there just as he wished. The muscles at the centre of his back wove together and tensed up vigorously, producing a slight bulge.

The heavy punch landed on Li Qingshan’s back, but the attacker felt like he had struck the tough hide of an ox instead. The force of the punch collapsed as the muscle eased up. Apart from shuddering all over, Li Qingshan was fine.

At the same time, the two hunters who had grabbed Li Qingshan’s waist felt like his body was rooted into the ground, unable to be moved at all. The three of them had used up their strength, and their might immediately declined.

Finally, Li Qingshan managed to catch his breath after taking on three heavy attacks. With a bellow, his two elbows dropped down.

The Ox Demon Butts its Horns from the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength was about using his whole body as horns apart from his fists and legs. Elbow strikes were the horns with the greatest power.

The two hunters only felt their backs ache, wanting to choke up blood as they collapsed on the ground helplessly.

Li Qingshan suddenly turned around and lunged at the hunter who had attacked him from behind. He punched him in the chest and knocked him over.

The people in the surroundings were dazzled by this. All they saw was the disadvantaged young man swiftly and cleanly knock over five good men from Drawn Reigns village. All of them were speechless.

Li Qingshan looked at the five hunters who groaned in pain on the ground before looking at his own hands. It was like he struggled to believe that he was the one who managed to do all that. His strength had already reached such a level unknowingly.

However, before he could celebrate, a large group of hunters suddenly rushed over. They drew their hunting bows and hunting knives, surrounding Li Qingshan as they eyed him with hostility.

The Drawn Reins village had not just sent these people for the gathering in Cypress Stream village this time. Instead, there were around twenty people. They had brought all of the hides their village had accumulated. The young hunters from before were just juniors who had come with their seniors to gain experience.

They saw how they struggled to sell their own hides and heard how someone else was selling hides for cheaper, so they had all rushed over here to make trouble for Li Qingshan. However, they had never thought that before they could make any trouble for him, they would be taught a lesson instead.

Obviously, the seniors would not just turn a blind eye to it all. They responded very quickly, surrounding Li Qingshan. Faced with over a dozen drawn bows and the might that had suddenly erupted, Li Qingshan felt like he was a beast who had fallen into a trap. His fate lay in the hands of others. It actually made him feel despair.

Compared to this, caretaker Liu’s ‘feast of treachery’ was child’s play. His heart was tense like the bowstrings. He suddenly realised who they were. They were people who made a living through hunting. Punching was not their speciality. The hunting bows in their hands were. His Ox Demon Forges its Hide could block punches, but it could not block sharp arrows.

In the face of danger, he calmly drew the steel blade at his waist. He looked around, looking for a way to escape. He had never thought that selling some hides would lead to a mishap like this. He was reluctant, but he might need to resort to killing in public so that he could kill his way out.

“Did you do this?” A sickly man in his prime asked with a booming voice as he carried a huge bow on his back and stood at the centre of the hunters.

Li Qingshan replied, “I did!”

The man studied Li Qingshan in some surprise. Normal people would all become powerless from fright if they encountered such a situation. This kid was so young, yet he could remain so composed. Such a mentality was something that completely surpassed the youngsters of the village.

He asked the short hunter who had been sent flying by Li Qingshan’s shoulder slam. “Xiao Hei, what happened?”

“Hunting chief, this kid has probably destroyed our business!” Xiao Hei stood up with difficulty.

The crowd descended into an uproar. “Isn’t that the hunting chief of Drawn Reigns village-” “It’s Huang Binghu!”

The so-called hunting chief was equivalent to a village head, but it was different from Crouching Ox village, where authority came with seniority. The people who became the hunting chief in Drawn Reigns village were all the strongest men within the village. They directed all of the hunting operations of the village.

As for Huang Binghu, he was the current hunting chief of Drawn Reigns Village, someone of great renown. Li Qingshan had heard of him a long time ago, but he never thought it would actually be the sickly man in front of him. He basically understood where his nickname of ‘Sickly Tiger’ came from now.¹

A person’s fame was like a tree’s shadow—the larger it was, the more influential it was. Li Qingshan obviously experienced tremendous pressure, but he was no longer the same Li Qingshan as before. He sneered and said, “You said nothing at all and tried to flip over my canvas. Now, you sling mud at me, saying how it’s me who’s destroying your business. The Drawn Reigns village really is high-handed!”

Huang Binghu’s face sank. He yelled out, “Why don’t you all get back on your feet? You couldn’t even beat a single person with a group of you, yet you still have the face to groan in pain on the ground. Are you still worthy enough to be the men of Drawn Reigns village?”

Li Qingshan knew that his attacks earlier were not light, but under Huang Binghu’s command, the five young hunters actually all managed to stand up. Apart from being sturdy in the first place, it was due to their extremely deep respect for Huang Binghu.

Huang Binghu raised his hand, and all the hunters stowed away their blades and bows. “We were wrong in the first place, but kid, you shouldn’t have been so heavy-handed!”

“If I hadn’t been heavy-handed, I would probably be the one lying there now.”

“We leave the mountains for once to sell some hides and herbs. The necessities of the entire village have to be covered. It’s fine if you just sell according to the market price, but the way you sell right now messes with the price and costs us severely.”

Li Qingshan was silent. He had never imagined that this would happen. Obviously, he could say that he was allowed to sell it however he wanted to. However, even with Huang Binghu’s renown, he had admitted his mistakes in the face of public, reasoning with him instead of using his advantage in numbers to oppress him. As a result, Li Qingshan was reluctant to argue with him and pester him endlessly.

However, if they wanted to fight or kill him, he would not just stand down either.

Huang Binghu said, “I’ll buy all of these hides!” A hunter came up to pay and collect the hides.

Everyone in the surroundings admired Huang Binghu’s moral character. Li Qingshan was rather surprised and glanced at the bag of money that was handed to him. “No need!” He turned around and began packing the ox cart. He did not rely on these hides to earn a living in the first place. Huang Binghu had been so generous and straightforward with him. As such, if he made a fuss over this, he would be looked down upon instead.

The admiration in Huang Binghu’s eyes grew deeper. He watched Li Qingshan disappear into the sea of people as he asked the crowd, “I fancy this kid. Does anyone know where he’s from?”

A farmer answered carefully, “It seems like he is Li Erlang of the Crouching Ox village.”

Many people in the surroundings had actually heard of him. They all said, “No wonder!”

Although villages were mostly inaccessible between one another, these stories that seemed more like legends would always spread the fastest. Li Qingshan had no idea that he had already developed some renown in this area.

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1. Huang in Huang Binghu means yellow, a common surname in Chinese. A literal translation of Binghu is ‘sickly tiger’. In short, the combination of his name can be interpreted as sallow/waxy, sickly tiger, which matches his appearance in that he’s sickly.

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Chapter 21 – Buying Ginseng and Being Ambushed

Li Qingshan arrived at the finest establishment for alcohol in the town and bought over a dozen jars of fine alcohol, filling up the ox cart. Afterwards, he followed the detailed list the black ox had provided him with and bought most of the necessary items from the medicine store. However, the most important ginseng could not be bought there.

Within the largest inn in Cypress Stream town, a group of people with large bamboo hats and medicinal baskets on their backs drank tea quietly. Even when they were in the inn, they did not take off their hats or baskets.

From time to time, the shopkeepers of the larger medicine stores would enter the inn and open the baskets to take a look. Afterwards, they would put their hands into their sleeves and haggle prices with these people. If they were successful, they would take a packet of ginseng that varied in size from the baskets.

These people were ginseng foragers from the Ginseng King village. Similar to the Drawn Reins village, they resided deep within the mountains, but they made a living off gathering ginseng in the mountains. Obviously, they sold ginseng for the lowest price.

Li Qingshan parked the ox cart in front of the inn and looked around before striding to the corner. He said to the ginseng foragers, “I want to buy ginseng!”

The ginseng foragers saw how young he was and how he was dressed in tatters, so they scorned him. None of them actually answered him.

Li Qingshan frowned. He took out his remaining thousand or so silver notes from his clothes and placed it on the table, “I want to buy ginseng!”

With that, all of the ginseng foragers raised their heads. They were stunned. They had never expected Li Qingshan to be able to produce so much money. They looked at one another and finally, someone asked, “How much do you want?”

Li Qingshan already knew the price of ginseng, so they agreed on a price in the end. As such, he left with a huge bag of ginseng.

The ginseng foragers said quietly, “Should we just finish off this kid?”

“Searching for the spiritual ginseng is more important. That’s a treasure worth a tremendous amount of gold. Regular people can prolong their lives if they eat it, while practitioners of martial arts can immediately become a first-rate master. Even overcoming the obstacles and reaching the innate realm won’t be anything difficult.”

“The spiritual ginseng is great, but there is only one of it, and we have to deal with that sickly bastard from the Drawn Reins village as well. A bird in one hand is better than two in the bush. Whoever is willing to do it, come with me.”

Seven or eight of them stood up, grabbed the blades on their waists, and left by taking a detour.

Near the entrance, a person was hiding behind a post. He saw this before leaving silently.

Li Qingshan traveled on a cliffside mountain path alone with the ox cart, trying to make conversation with the black ox. Xiao An stuck his head out from the wooden tablet, listening to them talk quietly on the ox cart.

They arrived in a narrow valley, and the black ox suddenly stopped. He glanced back at Li Qingshan. “Your trouble is here.”

With that, seven or eight figures appeared on the two ends of the path leading through the valley.

Li Qingshan identified them from afar with his eyesight. “You’re… from the Ginseng King village?” These people all clutched the blades at their waists. They were clearly planning on killing then robbing him.

I still ended up underestimating the vileness of human nature! He could only sigh inside. He did understand the principle of keeping wealth hidden, which was why he had immediately set off with the ox cart to return to the village after buying the ginseng without remaining there for a second longer. However, he never expected these people to be so bold; they were actually trying to rob him in broad daylight.

It was rumored that these people who spent all day clambering about on cliffs, harvesting ginseng and other herbs, were extremely fierce and brutal with their attitudes and customs. Moreover, they all possessed martial arts. They could be as light as a feather and as nimble as a squirrel.

“Kid, there’s something we want to discuss with you!” The leader said calmly as his eyes shone with derision. It was as if he were looking at livestock for slaughter. “Leave behind everything, and you can leave.”

His calmness was not an act. They moved through the mountains frequently. Whenever they encountered lone travellers, they would just kill them and take their belongings. It was common practice to them, but after they were done, they obviously would not leave anyone alive.

The ginseng foragers sniggered as they surrounded him.

Seeing the danger approach, Li Qingshan suddenly shook the reins, and the black ox glanced at him. He was cooperative, charging forwards with the ox cart.

“You’ll wish you had accepted that request in the first place!” The ginseng foragers called out and dodged to the sides quickly. A blade flashed from each side, swinging towards Li Qingshan on the cart.

The black ox twisted its head, and its only horn followed a strange trajectory. The leader saw the horn approach him, but he was actually unable to dodge it. It pierced his stomach viciously, nailing him against the rock face.

The ginseng forager’s eyes remained wide open as blood spurted from his mouth. He refused to believe that he would die to the horn of an cow despite his martial arts.

At the same time, Li Qingshan leapt off the cart and dodged the two swings. His hand landed on the hilt of his steel blade.

The black ox drew out its horn and thought, From the perspective of an ox, I’ve already outdone myself. The rest is up to you.

The ginseng foragers cried out, “Big brother Geng!” This ‘big brother Geng’ was the one with the best martial arts out of all of them, but who would have thought that he would die in such a bizarre manner? They never would have imagined that the black ox was a monster.

Afterwards, they said viciously to Li Qingshan, “Kid, do you know what you’ve done? Originally, we planned on giving you a quick death, but just you wait now! We’ll slice off your flesh piece by piece and feed it to wolves!”

Li Qingshan sneered, “Just with you lot?” However, he was extremely stern as he drew his blade slowly.

He had never thought that he would encounter two fights in a single day, with each time being more dangerous than the last.

As expected, it was easier to attract trouble now that he had martial arts. If he were just a helpless farmer’s boy, he would have never been able to take on the people from the Drawn Reins village, nor would he have so much money to buy ginseng.

This was the most dangerous battle of his life so far. Even with a supernatural ability, he could not say that this would be a piece of cake. The black ox’s words from the past flashed through his head.

Thoughts flashed through his head; a great battle was about to erupt at any time.

“Kill him!” There was a swift breeze and four blades wove into a net, engulfing Li Qingshan from behind.

The Ox Demon Forges its Hide was unable to block such blades, so Li Qingshan quickly made a judgement call. He did not even look back, charging forward instead and lunging at the three ginseng foragers. His mind was not focused on this dangerous battle right now. Instead, he constantly recalled the horn that the black ox had unleashed earlier.

The black ox would never help him repel the enemies. Otherwise, killing this group of ginseng foragers would have been a piece of cake given its power. Its horn held other meaning.

In the face of life-threatening danger, his understanding and comprehension had all been forced out. His eyes suddenly lit up. The Ox Demon Butts its Horns was about using every part of his body as an ox’s horns, while a weapon was just an extension of one’s body.

His perfectly straight, steel blade suddenly seemed to jump alive, travelling around a parrying blade.

With a spurt, blood sprayed into the air from a ginseng forager’s neck as he fell backwards.

“Lao Cheng!” “This kid knows martial arts!” A series of cries rang out. The ginseng foragers looked at Li Qingshan; they were no longer as relaxed as before.

However, Li Qingshan’s two arms received two wounds as well, but thanks to the toughness granted by the Ox Demon Forges its Hide, they failed to cut all the way through. Instead, it agitated his viciousness, and his eyes lit up like burning fire. “Come!”

The thicket on one side of the valley hid a group of people. They were only a few dozen meters away, yet no one in the valley managed to discover them even under the light of day.

Only the black ox glanced at them.

The person leading them was Huang Binghu. He smiled as he said to the people beside him, “Xiao Hei, are you convinced now?”

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Chapter 22 – The Secret of the Spiritual Ginseng

Li Qingshan’s steel blade claimed yet another life. Although a blade had also struck him in the back, the wound was not deep, and his skin contracted around the wound. As such, he did not bleed much.

At the same time, a blade stabbed diagonally into his lower abdomen. He grabbed the blade firmly and cut off a head filled with surprise and fear.

His vicious and tough aura struck fear into the hearts of people.

Originally, Xiao Hei was reluctant to accept that Li Qingshan was stronger. All he knew was that Li Qingshan had won against them due to a sneak attack. He had been searching for an opportunity to redeem himself. However, he was covered in cold sweat now. Li Qingshan’s skill with the blade and his viciousness when it came to killing startled him.

This wild beast was not prey an amatuer hunter like him could take down. Fortunately, they were in the market earlier, which prevented them from actually drawing their blades at Li Qingshan.

A while later, seven corpses lay in the open as Li Qingshan knelt on the ground on one knee, supporting himself with his broken steel blade. He had over a dozen injuries, and his clothes had become dyed red with blood from both himself and others.

Fear and craziness filled the last ginseng forager’s face. Although he had murdered and robbed many people before, he was just harassing the meek. He had never witnessed such an intense slaughter before. “Y- you madman!”

Li Qingshan’s expression was like a tough rock. In the face of life and death, he outdid himself with every single strike and move, unleashing the potential hidden in his body. However, this took a great toll on him as well, so he became utterly exhausted after a while.

So this is the path that I chose? It really is bloody!

The black ox stood to one side in no hurry as if it were asking, Do you regret it?

“I’ll kill you!” The ginseng forager roared out as he charged over.

Out of strength, the blade fell towards his neck, and the coldness made all of his hairs stand on end. Li Qingshan roared out, “I don’t regret it!” All of the qi in his body flowed into his hand. He gripped the steel blade firmly and swung it to receive his opponent.

Thock! Swish! A bowstring ripped through the air and launched an arrow, nailing the last ginseng forager dead into the ground.

Li Qingshan raised his head in surprise. A few stalwart figures made their way down from the rock face. They were hunters from the Drawn Reins village. They approached Li Qingshan carefully before lunging forward to grab his four limbs.

However, Li Qingshan had already used up all of his strength in the moment before. He was carried up the valley by them.

“Kid, nicely done!” Huang Binghu stowed his large bow away and praised him before falling quiet. He waved his hand, and the hunters set up an ambush again on the two sides of the valley.

Before long, the other ginseng foragers arrived. They inspected the corpses of their companions sternly. When they saw the ginseng forager, who had been nailed to the ground, their expressions changed drastically all of a sudden. They roared out, “Escape from here!”

“Release!” Under Huang Binghu’s order, arrows rained down from two sides of the valley.

The ginseng foragers immediately drew their blades, but unless their martials arts were significantly better than the archers, it was impossible for them to stop the arrows. A series of miserable cries rang out.

Huang Binghu wielded a huge bow and stood on a protruding boulder, purposefully targeting the ginseng foragers that tried to escape. He would hit his target with each shot, not wasting even a single one. He was basically a god of death.

Li Qingshan sat up and watched. He also felt shocked, shocked by how intense the battle between the two great villages would be. The power of the bow and arrow also stunned him.

He cultivated the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, so his strength was the part that grew the fastest. If he could draw a long bow, wouldn’t he be able to kill people like lambs to the slaughterhouse?

When Huang Binghu launched his fifth arrow, the cries below had stopped. Only weak groans remained barely audible.

“Huang Binghu!” A ginseng forager, who had his thigh pierced by an arrow, bellowed out hoarsely.

“That’s me!” Huang Binghu leapt off the boulder and asked, “Where’s the spiritual ginseng? If you’re straightforward, I’ll give you a quick death!”

“H- how do you know?”

“I still know a little bit about the matters that happen on this side of the myriad mountains. The spiritual ginseng has appeared in the mountains near the Drawn Reins village. Ingesting it can cure all kinds of diseases and prolong life, right? I originally thought it was fake, but I’m rather convinced now by your expressions. If you think you can steal from the jaws of a tiger, you’re overestimating yourself too much.”

“You want to use the spiritual ginseng to cure your illness, but you’d better stop dreaming. You have no idea how to capture the spiritual ginseng. Just you wait. The Ginseng King village will never just leave this matter be!”

“You want to stand up against the Drawn Reins village with just your divided village?”

“Hehehehe, if this news makes it out, who knows just how many powerful people will gather in your Drawn Reins village.”

Huang Binghu’s expression changed slightly. “Can you bring yourself to do that?” Seeing how he could not get any information out of them, he waved his hand, and all the hunters stepped forward, finishing off the surviving ginseng foragers. Afterwards, they gathered all of the ginseng forager’s belongings before tossing the corpses into the valley.

In the blink of an eye, they had completely cleaned the ground covered with corpses. Only some traces of blood were left behind to demonstrate the intensity of the battle before. After some rain, nothing would be left behind.

At certain times, the lives of people truly seemed as worthless as an ant’s.

The hunters then looked at Li Qingshan. There was admiration, praise, and undisguised killing intent.

Li Qingshan had just heard a huge secret. The people of Drawn Reins village would never just let him leave. The simplest method would be to kill him then and there. Next, they could toss him into the valley with the ginseng foragers.

It was a pity that the black ox would not help, letting him waver between life and death. Through this trip, he had learnt that his strength was much greater than before, but he had also realised just how weak he was right now. Perhaps this was the black ox’s intention.

Huang Binghu said, “Little brother, are you willing to pay a visit to the Drawn Reins village with me?”

“What if I’m not?”

“You ingrate!” “Kill him!” The hunters were furious.

Huang Binghu waved his hand. “I don’t kill the innocent. If you don’t want to, then you can leave! I believe you’re not one to blabber.”

Li Qingshan was not too convinced by that. With how formidable of a person Huang Binghu was, he would never be soft-hearted when it came to killing people. Perhaps he would not do the killing, but his subordinate hunters were all teeming with killing intent.

Moreover, he did want to pay a visit to the Drawn Reins village. Perhaps he could learn some hunting techniques or archery. Then he could truly become independent, no longer requiring the black ox’s support. His personal strength would increase drastically as well. As for the spiritual ginseng, he was not bold enough to think too much about it.

“Then I might as well.”

Huang Binghu smiled and sent people to fetch medicinal paste to spread over Li Qingshan’s wounds, but he discovered that the skin had contracted around the injuries, so he was not bleeding profusely; this left Huang Binghu amazed.

Li Qingshan ignored the pain and arrived before the ox cart, taking out his newly-purchased ginseng and chewing on it slowly. He also removed the clay seal on a jar of alcohol, filling himself up with several gulps.

The alcohol diluted the ginseng, and a wave of heat rose up from his belly. Immediately, he felt much more energetic, which surprised everyone as well.

Li Qingshan climbed onto the ox cart and stopped paying attention to the others, sitting there and meditating. Recovering his exhaustion and wounds was secondary. He needed to use this opportunity to go through his successes and failures in this battle.

First, he could no longer afford to count on luck. He had heard people talk about how dangerous the jianghu was, and he had basically experienced it first hand today. A careless step could cost him his life. The lives of people in this world were just too worthless. It was impossible to constantly receive help from others, nor could he rely on outperforming himself on the spot. He still needed to treasure his wonderful life.

However, through this life-threatening battle, his understanding of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength had deepened once again, while his vital energies seemed to have changed slightly compared to before, like a treasured blade that had just been polished.

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Chapter 23 – Distant are the Roads of Jianghu

As the heat spread through his body, the sliver of qi became lively as well, flowing near his wounds and producing a numbing itchiness.

Huang Binghu sent out a few nimble hunters as scouts as the group traveled into the depths of the mountains around the ox cart.

They walked all the way until dusk without stopping, entering deep into a mountain. There was no trace of human activity at all in the surroundings.

At the foot of the mountain, Li Qingshan saw the legendary Drawn Reins village.

A tall, wooden wall was erected around the village. Watch towers stood at each corner. It did not seem like a village and was more like a military base. They had to approach it, signal the people in there, and only then would the gate open up. It was nowhere near as informal as the Crouching Ox village.

Li Qingshan was the only outsider, so he attracted everyone’s attention. He seemed unaffected on the surface, but he became nervous on the inside. This was the legendary lair of danger that had managed to make a whole army draw their reins.

Huang Binghu did not seem to be harbouring any ill intentions, but he needed to handle this carefully. Otherwise, he could lose his life without even knowing. His steel blade had already been taken away. However, even if he still possessed it, the damage it had received during that battle was already beyond repair.

Huang Binghu arranged a small, empty courtyard for him. Although he did not send anyone to watch over him, he did tell him to not wander around before leaving in a hurry.

In the most central building of the village, the most influential hunters gathered around a circular discussion table under the light of a few lanterns.

“For the sake of harvesting ginseng, the Ginseng King village has been building up grievances with us. Oftentimes, people of the village randomly die in the mountains, which they’re probably responsible for. This time, they’re even trying to get the spiritual ginseng from us. It’s a perfect opportunity for us to deal a blow to them.”

The two villages were only a few mountains apart with no clear boundary. The ginseng foragers made a living by harvesting ginseng, while the hunters would frequently move through the mountains. Ginseng was one of the few herbs they could recognise, so they obviously would not let it pass if they came across any.

As a result, there were many disputes, and the villagers tended to resolve them using their blades. As they were far away enough from one another, a large-scale battle had not occurred so far.

However, they recently met again, this time on the Bailao peak closer to the Drawn Reins village on a mountain path. They discovered a legendary spiritual ginseng that had already assumed a humanoid form and could even leave this place.

A rare treasure like this led to another battle. After the battle ended, the spiritual ginseng had already managed to flee, but it should still be on Bailao peak. Neither of the two villages dared to act rashly or blindly and search the entire mountain, but they had all been making preparations.

“Hunting chief, we can’t afford this matter being divulged. Let’s deal with the kid!”

“That kid has got some skill, and his temperament suits my tastes as well. Killing him would be a pity. I want him to remain in the village and lend us his strength.”

“But he’s still an outsider.”

“There’s no need to say anything more. I will test him properly. If he’s unworthy, I definitely won’t be soft-hearted,” Huang Binghu said firmly before breaking into a coughing fit.

In the pitch-black house, Xiao An emerged from the wooden tablet and looked at Li Qingshan in concern. He extended his hand to touch Li Qingshan’s wounds that had already scabbed over.

Li Qingshan said, “Don’t worry. I’m fine. I’m fine for now!” Although he could tell that Huang Binghu admired him, the feeling where his life laid in the hands of others was still horrible. He could only take charge of his own fate if he became stronger.

He immediately followed the black ox’s advice and placed the ginseng into the alcohol to make medicinal wine. He stopped to rest just now, looked at his handiwork, and felt delighted.

The next morning, Li Qingshan rose nice and early and practised the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. Suddenly, he felt a gale of wind from behind as if a vicious tiger were lunging at him.

Li Qingshan turned around and threw a punch, but it missed. Huang Binghu brushed past his arm and shaped his right hand into a claw, grabbing towards his throat.

He wants to silence me?! A thought flooded Li Qingshan’s mind. He actually did not try to block at all, instead facing the attack directly, as if he wanted to deliver his vital point to his opponent. He closed both hands like a bear hugging a tree, unleashing his great strength.

He practised an ability of great strength, not normal martial arts. Even though he had yet to achieve the strength of an ox, the power of the hug was still not something a body of flesh and blood could endure.

Huang Binghu suddenly pulled back his claw strike and made his way behind Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan said, “Oh no.” Just when he wanted to maneuver himself, he felt that Huang Binghu had stopped attacking him, only looking at him in approval.

The claw earlier would have been completely unleashed if he had retreated. It would have ripped out his throat easily. However, he had advanced instead, limiting the strength of the attack while using a desperate move. Not only was he able to react to the changing circumstances, he was even rather courageous as well.

“I’ve lost.” Li Qingshan rubbed his neck, and there were five bloody traces there. Huang Binghu’s skill was impressive. Even if he were not injured, he would still struggle against him.

“Where did you learn your martial arts from?” Huang Binghu asked. Apart from being brave and quick-witted, Li Qingshan’s martial arts were extraordinary as well. Even if normal people could react fast enough, their strength would not recover in time. Moreover, when his five fingers came in contact with Li Qingshan’s neck earlier, it felt like he had struck the tough hide of an ox, not a soft, vulnerable part of the body.

Li Qingshan could not say that he had learnt it from an ox, or people would probably treat him as an idiot. He just said that he met a great master several years ago. The master saw how he was an honest boy, so he taught him some moves. However, the master had also ordered him to keep his appearance and identity a secret.

“A few years ago?!” Huang Binghu was speechless. He was not particularly surprised by the fact that Li Qingshan was reluctant to state his master, but he had originally thought Li Qingshan had practised martial arts since a young age. The most crucial part about him remaining in Drawn Reins village would be finding out about his master.

“What’s wrong?” Li Qingshan was perplexed.

“Didn’t you begin learning martial arts from a young age?”

“He used just a few years to guide you to such a level. That’s truly unbelievable. It seems like this great master really is a great master.”

Li Qingshan sweated profusely inside. Fortunately, he had just casually said a few years ago and not a month ago. Otherwise, he would have probably frightened Huang Binghu to death.

At the same time, he gained a better understanding that supernatural abilities and the martial arts of mortals were things of two completely different levels. He was not Huang Binghu’s opponent right now, but only because he had practised for less than two months. Huang Binghu, on the other hand, had probably spent twenty or thirty years of effort to get to his current level.

“May I ask for the reason for your visit, hunting chief?”

“Kid, would you be interested in settling down in the Drawn Reins village?” Although it was a question, it felt like he left no room for refusal.

“Sure!” Li Qingshan agreed straightforwardly, which surprised Huang Binghu instead. “Don’t you have any attachments to your home?”

“If I don’t agree, will the hunting head let me leave here safely?” Li Qingshan said with composure, “And, I’ve heard of a saying before.”

“What saying?”

“Home is wherever I am. Whether it be the Crouching Ox village or the Drawn Reins village, there’s no difference to me. I might even be able to learn some archery for hunting here. Do you understand me, hunting chief? My ambitions don’t lie in these mountains and forests.”

“With your mediocre martial arts, wandering on the roads of jianghu will only lead you to your death. At most, you’ll just be a shrimp that follows those disciples of large clans and sects around. How can it be compared to the freedom of the mountains and forests?”

“Hmm? Hunting chief, aren’t your skills enough then?” Li Qingshan was rather surprised. Huang Binghu could be regarded as famous in this region.

“You can laugh if you want, but my skills with the bow and arrow are passable, and I’ve made a name for myself in the jianghu before. However, the jianghu is filled with powerful people. Even if you practise martial arts for several decades, a kid in his teens can still slaughter you like killing a dog. I suffered tremendously. It’s fortunate that I could return alive.”

Li Qingshan pursed his lips. Not only did he feel no fear, but he was even charmed by it instead.

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Chapter 24 – Searching for the Spiritual Ginseng

Huang Binghu knew that he had not taken him aback enough psychologically, so he added, “Your blade style and fist style requires you to be unencumbered, so you probably practise external martial arts. These types of martial arts lead to quick results. However, if you don’t have superior internal martial arts technique supporting you, allowing you to go from external to internal and thus achieving dual practices, it’ll probably be difficult for you to become a first-rate master. Naturally, becoming an innate master will be impossible.”

“First-rate master? What rate am I? And what are innate masters about?”

Li Qingshan asked a string of questions, which actually convinced Huang Binghu slightly that his moves all came from a great master who happened to pass by. If he had a proper master, it was impossible for him to not know this. “Qingshan, with your skill right now, you haven’t even reached third-rate.”

“Then that’s just mediocre!”

“You were able to defeat those ginseng foragers, so you’re already an adept. You’re still young, so there’s no need to be too dejected. As long as you practise properly and become a third-rate master, you’ll be able to roam through an entire region unopposed. With your talent, Qingshan, it won’t be an issue for you to reach such a level.”

Huang Binghu was afraid of going too far and dampening his determination, so he comforted Li Qingshan out of goodwill. However, he had no idea that the target the black ox had given Li Qingshan in the first place was to be able to roam through the entire world unopposed. The so-called internal martial arts he mentioned was even more of a joke.

“It’s even more mysterious for innate masters. They have to open up all the meridians in their bodies first and pass through the entry hall of life and death, converting their inner force into true qi. This true qi can flow through their bodies without any inhibitions anymore. Once true qi becomes powerful enough, it can even be freely projected out of one’s body to injure others.”

Hold on. I think the qi in my body right now can move about uninhibited. However, I can’t project it out of my body. It must be because it’s too weak.

Li Qingshan suddenly understood that right from the beginning, his starting line was different from other normal people. The path he took was something regular practitioners of martial arts could not imagine.

“Hunting chief, I will definitely become an innate master.”

Huang Binghu praised him for his aspiration, but he did not believe it at all. Innate master? When he heard of this the first time, he also held the same, noble aspiration, but how was it that easy?

It was as if he saw himself from the past. “If you really can become an innate master, I’ll give you the position of hunting chief.” This was not a blind promise. He believed that even if Li Qingshan could become an innate master, it would take him a few decades. Never did he think that the person right in front of him had already become a so-called ‘innate master’.

Li Qingshan noticed something. “Hunting chief, you don’t seem to be too well.”

“I was born frail, and the physician originally said that I would not last for very long. However, my mother refused to believe it, managing to raise me after tremendous effort. I refused to believe that I was worse than the other kids in the village, so I forced myself to practise martial arts. However, my foundation’s were still weak at the end of the day. I’ve often been in pain in the past few years, so I probably don’t have much time left.”

Li Qingshan truly admired the man in front of him slightly. Even though he did not have any great abilities or techniques, his will power and determination were enough for Li Qingshan to hold him as a role model.

“Don’t worry, hunting chief. We just have to find the spiritual ginseng, and you’ll definitely be cured.”

“Yep. Although it’s an almost non-existent possibility, it’s still a chance for me. We have to take advantage of how the Ginseng King village has been weakened to enter the mountains to search today. Do you want to come?”

“My wounds have yet to recover completely, so I probably won’t be able to lend any help.” Of course, Li Qingshan would not agree. Huang Binghu had only put it like that. It was impossible for Li Qingshan to actually trust him.

“Alright. Once you’re healed, we can clash again. I will arrange for people to teach you archery.” Huang Binghu patted his shoulder.

After Huang Binghu left, Li Qingshan immediately questioned the black ox.

The black ox said with contempt, “What first-rate second-rate? Do even ants have to establish who’s stronger or weaker? Though, if you can get your hands on that spiritual ginseng, it’ll be highly beneficial to your cultivation.”

Li Qingshan could only look at it helplessly.

“I am very relieved that you can learn hunting and stop relying on me. I can finally rest up. From today onwards, you better take care of yourself!”

As expected, the black ox stuck to his words and would never help him out. Li Qingshan had not properly planned on relying on him either. As for stealing from the jaws of the two villages, he felt even less confident. He would probably just lose his life for nothing, so he sighed a few times and discarded the thought. He chewed up another ginseng and began to meditate, only going to sleep deep in the night.

A wisp-like ghost rose up from the wooden tablet, turning into a child with delicate facial features. He glanced at Li Qingshan before seemingly making up his mind, entering the mountains with the night breeze as he opened and closed his pale lips.

If someone skilled at lip-reading were present, they would be able to tell that he was muttering ‘spiritual ginseng’.

The black ox opened its eyes and glanced at him before closing them again. Xiao An flew out of the Drawn Reins village and into the stretch of mountains. He moved through the forest freely, but he would have to avoid stronger mountain winds from time to time. He saw a speck of firelight in the distance and only saw hunters from the Drawn Reins village resting by a bonfire with their weapons. Huang Binghu was discussing battle tactics with a few hunters quietly. Xiao An circled around them a few times and listened for a while before riding the wind to Bailao peak. He carefully inspected every stream and rock he passed by. Of course, he would get carried by some small animals he came across from time to time and lose focus of his original objective. However, he would always return to the objective very quickly, continuing to search. Only a single thought existed in his head, I must, must find the spiritual ginseng. I can help him that way. Early in the morning, the ginseng foragers launched a night attack, but they were repelled by the prepared Huang Binghu. Neither of them found the spiritual ginseng. It was the same for Xiao An too. Using the time before the sun had risen, he returned to the village exhausted, basically rather tired of it all. The minds of children would always wander, never able to remain focused for long. Moreover, such work was simply too lonely for him. He had already experienced enough loneliness. However, when he saw Li Qingshan’s sleeping face, new motivation suddenly flowed through him again. He clenched his fist and dove into the wooden tablet, going to sleep.

Early in the morning, a stern-looking old hunter woke up Li Qingshan. “The hunting chief sent me to teach you archery!”

Li Qingshan noticed that his left leg was slightly lame, but he only glanced at it from the corner of his eye to remain polite. However, he never thought the old hunter would notice it and say nonchalantly, “It was mauled by a wolf. Come with me!”

On the empty land to the west of the village, a group of half-grown children were already waiting. The older ones were around the same age as Li Qingshan, while the younger ones still had snot running down their noses. However, every single one of them carried a hunting bow on their backs. They all looked at Li Qingshan rather warily with gazes of hostility.

“Grandpa Zang, will he be with us?”

Grandpa Zang nodded slightly and did not try to explain anything. He directly said, “Draw your bows!”

The group of children immediately stopped talking. They drew their hunting bows and aimed at the target in the distance. Grandpa Zang corrected their forms one by one and explained the essentials of archery, leaving Li Qingshan standing on one side.

Li Qingshan did not find it boring. Instead, he listened carefully. This continued for an hour before grandpa Zang ordered everyone to rest. He finally spoke to Li Qingshan, “Go train your strength first!” He pointed at the stone dumbbells on the side.

Li Qingshan went over and grabbed the stone dumbbells. Compared to a teacher like the black ox who did not even care for his safety, the level of dismissal right now was within a range he could tolerate.

Grandpa Zang was rather surprised. He did not like Li Qingshan, but he could not disobey Huang Binghu’s orders. As such, he purposefully gave Li Qingshan the cold shoulder, basically to train his temperament. He never expected Li Qingshan to show no anger at all, completely different from what he had originally expected. He thought to himself, No wonder the hunting chief favours him so much!

“Kid, where are you from?” The group of kids could not help but approach him in a provoking manner.

“The Crouching Ox village.”

“Hmph, you’re just a farmer, but you do have some ox-like strength. I heard you brought an ox with you. We don’t need cows here, so let’s butcher it!”

Li Qingshan could not stoop to their level and pick a fight with them, but he could not let them simply insult him either. His arms suddenly erupted with strength, and he tossed two stone dumbbells several dozen kilograms in weight high into the air.

“Mother of heaven!” The group of children scattered frantically. If one of the dumbbells fell onto them, their heads would crack.

The stone dumbbells fell down heavily. Li Qignshan did not try to avoid them. Instead, he maintained his concentration, grasping the timing to grab the dumbbells. He turned around to nullify the force and smiled at them.

The group of children were dumbfounded. They all gulped. Just how much strength was needed to raise the two stone dumbbells? Most of them could do that, but it was impossible for them to toss them so high in the air, let alone catch them.

Li Qingshan ignored them. Instead, he smiled and said, “Grandpa Zang, do I still have to train my strength?”

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Chapter 25 – Drawing the Bow and Shooting Arrows

Grandpa Zang was finally shocked. “Natural superhuman strength!?” Then he shook his head. “I forgot. You practise external martial arts, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary for you to have slightly greater strength!”

“You won’t be able to shoot arrows with just strength. Take it.” Grandpa Zang removed the hunting bow from his back and tossed it to Li Qingshan.

“This is grandpa Zang’s ox horn bow. It has the force of a stone!” Grandpa Zang was purposefully making things difficult for this kid. Drawing a bow was different from tossing some stone dumbbells.

A stone was sixty kilograms. Regular hunting bows did not pursue power but greater accuracy and dexterity. Bows with such a heavy draw weight were rare. Even if a heavier draw weight came with greater power, the accuracy and shooting speed of the bow would be horrible unless the archer could control it properly.

If they came across a vicious beast in the mountains, they would miss their first shot. Before they could fire their second, the beast would have arrived already. They would only end up dead. However, all the hunters who could handle a bow with such a heavy draw weight were marksmen. It was nothing difficult for them to hunt tigers or leopards in the mountains.

Li Qingshan weighed the bow in his hands. This was a superior oak wood bow, wrapped in beast hide and then silk. Its bowstring was made from cow sinew, so it was light yet extremely powerful.

He followed the method that grandpa Zang had described, sinking down with his hips into a horse stance. He drew the bowstring in one swift motion, and his muscles and bones rippled with it.

To grandpa Zang’s surprise, his form was actually very proper. Then he remembered that Li Qingshan had been watching on from the side earlier. Grandpa Zang guided him a little more with the essentials and Li Qingshan absorbed it all. In just a while, he seemed like he had already put in three months of hard work.

It was difficult to learn archery with a bow that was too heavy. People usually started with a lighter draw weight and would shoot many arrows to practise, gradually correcting their form. Only then would they increase the weight of their bow.

Grandpa Zang directly gave Li Qingshan his ox horn bow in an attempt to set him back mentally. Sure, you have a lot of strength and you can draw it, but it’s useless if you can’t hit anything. However, Li Qingshan’s performance surprised him once more.

It had nothing to do with whether Li Qingshan was actually better at learning than other people. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength taught him the most basic principles to using his qi and utilising his strength. Regardless of the weapon, as long as he grasped the essentials, he would be able to master it very quickly.

Beads of sweat began to emerge from Li Qingshan’s forehead. Maintaining the posture of drawing a bow really was much more tiring than lifting stone dumbbells. His bones and muscles ached all over slightly.

This sure is a good way to train my strength. Although it’s also very tiring when I practise punching, the punches aren’t hitting anything. I need to buy a heavy bow in the future for the purpose of training my strength. It’ll definitely be very beneficial to me.

“Alright. Aim at the target and shoot an arrow for me!” Grandpa Zang ordered.

Li Qingshan placed down the bow and rested up slightly before picking up an arrow and drawing the bow once more. He aimed at a target fifty paces away.

“Settle your mind. Don’t fire in a hurry. Look at the target!” Grandpa Zang guided from one side.

Li Qingshan stared right at the centre of the target, and his eyes suddenly lit up. However, as it was daytime, no one noticed it. Under his full concentration, the target seemed to expand, no longer so unreachable anymore.

In the legends, ancient marksmen trained their archery by tying a louse to a string before staring at it day and night. They would see the louse gradually expand. At first, it would be as large as a cartwheel before growing to the size of a mountain, filling up their view. Just by firing a single arrow, they would pierce the louse.

Currently, Li Qingshan felt such a sensation. He knew that it was probably due to the ox’s tears, which allowed him to see the fast slowly, the far close, and ghosts clearly.

Hit! A thought flashed through Li Qingshan’s head, and the arrow left the bowstring, flying towards the target.

Thud! The arrow became deeply embedded in the wooden target. It did not hit the centre but the edge instead. He had barely hit it.

Li Qingshan felt slightly embarrassed. “It missed the centre, but it still hit.”

However, the people in the surroundings were left speechless from surprise. During the first time he had ever shot an arrow in his life, he had drawn a bow with the weight of a stone and struck a target fifty paces away. Even a village that relied on shooting prey for generations had never seen such a person.

Just what are the origins of this guy?!

Grandpa Zang barely managed to remain composed. “Just keep practising in the future.” As an old and experienced hunter, he knew the best that Li Qingshan was unable to estimate the falling trajectory of the arrow and the effects of the wind because he was shooting for the first time.

“But I feel like this bow is still not powerful enough!” Just like how people should always aim above and beyond, Li Qingshan wanted a powerful bow that would take all of his strength to draw.

Grandpa Zang said nothing in reply. He took the bow from Li Qingshan and aimed it at the target in the distance. His cloudy eyes suddenly became as sharp as a hawk’s.

His right hand moved rapidly. Out of everyone present, only Li Qingshan saw it clearly. He had shot three arrows consecutively.

Thud! The three arrows formed a single line, striking the centre of the target, but there was only one sound.

The surroundings fell quiet before erupting into a string of cheers.

“Rapid fire arrows!” How could Li Qingshan not recognise this bow style? He had read about it in books in his past life, but he had only treated it as an interesting act.

However, now that he had witnessed it first-hand, he finally understood that it was truly a killing technique. He thought to himself that unless it was a close combat situation, it would be difficult for him to evade this bow style. On the other hand, if grandpa Zang decided to ambush him, he would be dead for sure.

Grandpa Zang saw how Li Qingshan had stopped talking, while Li Qingshan had already understood what he was trying to say. If he could not unleash something like that, there was no point to aiming above and beyond and using a bow he could barely draw. It was not like grandpa Zang could not draw a heavier bow. Rather, he had chosen a bow that suited him the most. Li Qingshan went up and bowed courteously, saying sincerely, “Please teach me archery, grandpa Zang!”

“You’re part of our Drawn Reins village now, so I will guide you with everything I have even if you hadn’t mentioned it. As for how much you can learn, that’ll be up to you. However, I’m confident that your skill with the bow will exceed mine in the future.” Grandpa Zang was happy inside, and his expression eased up amiably.

He did not take a liking to Li Qingshan originally, but the talent and strength that Li Qingshan had demonstrated shocked him. Moreover, there would be times when he would drop his pride to seek guidance. As a result, grandpa Zang’s attitude turned around completely, not only acknowledging Li Qingshan’s identity immediately, but also appreciating him very much.

Grandpa Zang’s evaluation shocked everyone. Grandpa Zang was the best with the bow in the village; this was a publicly accepted matter. Even the hunting chief Huang Binghu’s skill with the bow came from his personal guidance. Such an evaluation would probably shock the entire village.

The youngsters, who were originally very hostile towards Li Qingshan, gathered over once more. They talked to him all at once, showing some attachment to him. They were not intentionally fawning over him. Instead, they just admired the greatest at their age.

Perhaps some of them felt envy and wanted to reject him, but they were no longer bold enough to slight and provoke him. The atmosphere actually became harmonious. Li Qingshan came to a realisation that in order to get others to acknowledge him, a clever tongue was not enough. Instead, he needed to demonstrate sufficient strength.

If he did not possess this strength and wanted to achieve the current result diplomatically, not only would it take a very long time, he would have to bow and scrape to them as well, twisting his conscience.

He practised until the evening, and Li Qingshan could already land every single arrow he shot on the targets. However, he needed preparation with each arrow; he was nowhere close to being able to fire them at will like grandpa Zang, much less achieving rapid firing. However, to the eyes of others, this was already unbelievable enough.

In the next few days, Li Qingshan devoted himself to practising the bow, making progress with each passing day. Although he did not stop with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, he progressed extremely slowly.

Finally, after enduring all those days, Li Qingshan returned home and carefully opened a jar of alcohol. The heavy smell of alcohol and medicine filled his nose and mouth. He directly lifted up the jar and took a great gulp.

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Chapter 26 – Sparring Again

A heavy wave of warmth surged in his stomach. He immediately got up and began practising in the courtyard. Only when the warmth had vanished completely did he exhale deeply and stop.

Normally, he would feel tired after practising for so long, yet he was brimming with energy today. As expected, the medicinal alcohol made from ginseng was much more effective than simply eating meat.

Moreover, the true qi in his body seemed to grow slightly. It was very weak, but it was growing properly.

Medicinal alcohol made from ordinary ginseng is already so effective. I wonder how it would be like if I used the spiritual ginseng instead. He had thought of this before, but then he considered the difficulty in obtaining it, followed by the consequences that came after, so he could only give up in the end.

In just a few days, several hunters were carried off the mountains, either dead or injured. Clearly, the ginseng foragers were not easy to deal with. Although Li Qingshan had agreed to join the Drawn Reins village, it was just a measure to deal with his circumstances. He did not actually want to become involved in the dispute between the two villages.

In the blink of an eye, it was the fifteenth of the eighth month, the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the forested mountains, Huang Binghu gazed at the exhausted faces beside him. In the past few days, he had been moving through the mountains with his hunters, remaining alert at all times despite possessing the upper hand and basically slaughtering the ginseng foragers to a point of disarray.

However, it was impossible for him to remain unscathed, so it was difficult for him as well. Meanwhile, the spiritual ginseng only existed within the legends. No one had seen it with their own eyes, so these sacrifices became meaningless.

Huang Binghu let out a deep sigh and ordered them to return to the village. Xiao Hei said in a hurry, “Hunting chief, you can’t give up. Your body is-” Huang Binghu cut in and said, “The village takes top priority!” Not only was it the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for families to reunite, but it was almost winter as well. The village had to prepare for the change in seasons.

In one corner of the Drawn Reins village, within grandpa Zang’s courtyard, Huang Binghu asked with a smile, “Grandpa Zang, how’s the kid?”

“He’s a natural marksman. His archery will definitely exceed both yours and mine in the future, but…”

“But what?”

“His mind is not with the Drawn Reins village. Even if we’ve gotten him to join the village, it’s all useless. We’re hunting dogs that guard the mountain, while he’s a wolf, and a lone wolf at that. There’ll be a time when he goes off on a long journey!”

“A lone wolf? That’s only because he hasn’t witnessed that a lone wolf is easy to hunt, while a pack of wolves is difficult to rival. I’ll go see him. I refuse to believe that the position of hunting chief won’t make him waver.”

“You really plan on making him the hunting chief?”

“That’ll depend on his skills.” Huang Binghu smiled.

“Qingshan, has it been satisfactory for you here?” Huang Binghu entered the courtyard and greeted him straightforwardly.

“Thank you for your concern, hunting chief. I’ve been doing very well here.” Ever since the news of Li Qingshan killing seven ginseng foragers spread through the village, everyone had warmed up to him. However, this also meant that he had become complete enemies with the Ginseng King village. The ginseng foragers were not benevolent folk, so he had to rely on the Drawn Reins village in order to survive.

However, could he really just accept an arrangement like this?

Li Qingshan said, “Hunting chief, I want to try sparring with you again!”

Huang Binghu’s surprised gaze met Li Qingshan’s confident eyes.

Huang Binghu said, “Alright. Let’s see the fruits of your training from the past few days.”

“Ha!” Li Qingshan did not wait for Huang Binghu to pull away from him, suddenly rushing forwards. He threw a straight punch without any fancy tricks, striking towards Huang Binghu’s chest viciously. It gave off a slight whoosh from the rushing air.

“Not bad, kid!” Huang Binghu blocked using his arm, and with a smack, he staggered back three steps before stopping, shaking his arm in pain. Then he revealed a rather surprised expression. What great strength! Although he did not clash with Li Qingshan in brute strength last time, he could estimate that his strength back then should not have been so great.

Li Qingshan said, “Check out this move now!” He immediately rushed over and launched consecutive attacks. His fists rained down on Huang Binghu’s chest, launching a storm-like barrage, pushing the unencumbered force in his punches to the limit. His aura became extremely violent as well.

Careless, Huang Binghu lost the advantage and the upper hand, but it also roused his spirit. I refuse to believe that you can defeat me in terms of strength. His inner force began to circulate, flowing into his arms through his meridians. Welled up with inner force, his arms seemed to grow thicker as he received Li Qingshan’s punches.

For practitioners of martial arts, all of their martials arts depended on this inner force. He was using his true strength by doing this.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Their arms intersected as they fought fire with fire. Whenever they clashed, they would produce a loud sound of collision between flesh and bone; it was like two beasts mauling one another. It was extremely rough and brutal.

Huang Binghu was still the one with richer experience at the end of the day. He grasped the timing and threw a punch at Li Qingshan’s chest.

Li Qingshan did not try to block or dodge, returning a punch at Huang Binghu’s face.

Huang Binghu thought to himself, I’ve trained my inner force diligently for all these years, so the force of one of my punches can even kill a young calf. Even if you practise external martial arts tough on the body, you’ll still be injured. As for Li Qingshan’s punch, he ignored it completely. His punch would land on Li Qingshan first, and he would definitely seize up momentarily.

With a thud, the punch landed on Li Qingshan’s chest. As expected, Li Qingshan seized up, but he immediately recovered, completely unaffected. Huang Binghu was taken aback and used a roll in a hurry. The first brushed past his cheek, causing a slight ache.

Li Qingshan chuckled and remained where he was, choosing not to pursue him.

Huang Binghu stood up. “You’re actually fine?!” He understood the strength of that punch the best. Even if Li Qingshan used his external martial arts to block the force of the punch, he would not be able to stop the inner force imbued in the punch. However, it actually had no effect on him.

Li Qingshan rubbed his chest. “It hurt a lot!” A stream of qi seemed to penetrate his skin earlier, directly entering his body. However, it was immediately nullified by the true qi within him, basically failing to cause any damage at all. Afterwards, he immediately recovered his strength and almost landed a hit on Huang Binghu.

If it were explained as Huang Binghu would have explained it, this was the difference in quality between acquired inner force and innate true qi.

Huang Binghu had no idea how to respond. The punch that he was so confident in actually only received an evaluation like that. However, all practitioners of martials arts were competitive, seeking to prevail over others. He yelled out, “Then eat a few more of my punches!”

The two of them began fighting once more. This time, Huang Binghu no longer held back, using everything that he had. He became much swifter. As a result, Li Qingshan struggled to handle his attacks. Li Qingshan became peppered with punches.

To the untrained eye, Huang Binghu was overwhelming Li Qingshan, possessing the upper hand.

However, the two of them each experienced completely different thoughts. Li Qingshan only felt like Huang Binghu’s movements had slowed down, no longer as difficult to capture as before. Even if punches would hit him, it would only ache slightly, so he might as well just ignore them and focus on attacking. He was like a rock in a storm, remaining firm and unshaken.

However, Huang Binghu felt more surprised the more he attacked. Li Qingshan’s speed, reaction, and strength were all much greater than last time. He was basically like a completely different person. He was no longer able to attack Li Qingshan’s vital points so easily, but striking other places was completely useless.

And as the battle went on, Li Qingshan’s attacks became more and more orderly, throwing one or two extremely ingenious punches from time to time, forcing Huang Binghu into danger. It took him the experience from all these years of fighting to deal with. The fierce gale swept up with each of Li Qingshan’s punches told him that as long as a single punch landed, he would be done for. They grew closer and closer to one another rapidly.

As a result, a strange scene appeared. One of them was constantly struck by punches, yet he did better the more he fought. The other was uninjured, but he grew weaker as the battle continued.

Sweat began to sprout from Huang Binghu’s forehead. As exhaustion set in for him, Li Qingshan remained just as calm and unagitated as before.

The ox had always been an animal of great endurance. The further he cultivated, the more obvious the difference between supernatural abilities and martial arts would become.

Huang Binghu suddenly leapt away and called out, “Stop!”

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Chapter 27 – The Spiritual Ginseng Appears

Li Qingshan exhaled deeply. “How satisfying!”

Huang Binghu’s arms trembled; this was the result of clashing with Li Qingshan’s hands. He studied Li Qingshan from afar as he felt perplexed. “Just how did you train?” He was basically a monster to advance at such a rate.

Originally, he valued Li Qingshan’s willpower and martial arts. He had thought he had found a diamond in the rough and wanted to polish him. He wanted to see whether he had the right to accept the position of hunting chief. However, he discovered in the end that he had underestimated Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan considered the question. “Recently, I’ve been drinking medicinal alcohol made from ginseng. It’s a formula my master left behind.”

Huang Binghu hesitated. “Can you let me see it?” Originally, the rules of jianghu forbid him from just casually inquiring about things like this, but he was just too curious about what was happening.

Li Qingshan said frankly, “No problem!”

Huang Binghu had asked about the formula, so Li Qingshan told it to him truthfully. Huang Binghu nodded. “This formula is ingenious, but the strength of the combination is just too much. You’re using too much ginseng as well, so you can’t drink too much. Just a small cup a day will be enough.”

Aside from that, it was no different from ordinary medicinal alcohol. He even specially went to Li Qingshan’s room and tasted it, but he reached the same conclusion. He refused to believe that just drinking medicinal alcohol made from ginseng could lead to such rapid improvements in martial arts. Otherwise, the Ginseng King village would basically be filled with supreme masters.

However, it was far too inappropriate for him to probe any further. He could only hold in his doubts. However, he never considered that it was all due to Li Qingshan’s martial arts. After all, out of all of the external martials available, none of them were so impressive to the point of being some sort of unmatched, divine art.

Obviously, Li Qingshan could not tell him that he drank the medicinal wine by the bowlful, and he would down several every day at the very least. He had basically finished it all off now.

“Oh right, how are my martial arts now?”

“It has barely made it into the third-rate.” Huang Binghu could still remember some time ago when he said that it would pose no difficulty for Li Qingshan to become a third-rate master. In the blink of an eye, it had come true. He felt like he was dreaming.

“Only the third-rate?” Li Qingshan said in dissatisfaction.

Huang Binghu shot a glance at him. Anyone whose martial arts had reached the third-rate could be regarded as master, yet this kid was actually still unsatisfied. Wouldn’t that mean that his own martial arts were ‘only at the third-rate’?

He was someone who had been the hunting chief of Drawn Reins village for many years, so he was reluctant to lose out in terms of bearing. “However, my forte is not martial arts but archery. In terms of martial arts, even the Ginseng King village surpasses us, but only we dare to claim the name of Drawn Reins village. When well-equipped, even first-rate masters would try to avoid provoking us.”

There was another reason. His sickness was already close to becoming incurable. Although his name was Binghu, Sickly Tiger, he deemed the word ‘sickly’ as the highest taboo. He would never use it as a reason.

“Yeah. I’ve been working hard on rapid fire arrows lately. I can already shoot three of them in rapid succession, but I’m still much worse than the hunting chief. Please give me some guidance, hunting chief.” Li Qingshan had personally witnessed Huang Binghu’s archery, so he obviously would never take it lightly.

You can shoot three arrows in rapid succession!? Didn’t you just start learning archery a month ago? Huang Binghu only felt like he had experienced a little too much mental shock today. He waved his hands. “Go ask grandpa Zang for guidance tomorrow. I need to go back and eat a reunion dinner with my family.”

He understood inside that perhaps this kid really did have the talent to wander through the jianghu, so he put the matter of hunting chief aside. If he himself had advanced so rapidly in the past, he would have never returned to the Drawn Reigns village.

“Yeah, it’s the Mid-Autumn Festival again!” Li Qingshan looked at the newly-risen full moon in the sky, but he had no relatives to reunite with. However, he did have a daemon and a ghost by his side, so he could still have a reunion meal with them. He went back and began preparing.

He prepared some grass for the black ox, some alcohol and meat for himself, and some incense sticks and joss paper for Xiao An.

He carried out everything smoothly, but he could not find Xiao An. “Brother Ox, where did Xiao An go?”

“I don’t know!”

Li Qingshan muttered to himself, “This little ghost has gotten carried away with playing lately. He doesn’t even bother to cling to me anymore. How strange. I think we should wait for him!”

The full moon rose slightly and all was silent on Bailao peak.

The brilliant moon scattered its light from high in the clouds.

A few people with large bamboo hats lay in a region of dense vegetation, gazing at the highest cliff on Bailao peak as if they were waiting for something.

“We’ve expended so much painstaking effort, lost so many people, and fallen out with the Drawn Reins village completely, yet we haven’t even seen a hair of the spiritual ginseng. Now, even the people from the Drawn Reins village have retreated down the peak to unite with their families, yet we still have to watch over here. What is the chief thinking?”

“What would you know? The spiritual ginseng is an item with intelligence. It has been alarmed by the presence of so many people, so it would obviously remain hidden. However, tonight’s a night with a full moon, so the spiritual ginseng will definitely appear to absorb the essence of the moon. The chief has been expecting this, and he has planned for it too. As long as we get the spiritual ginseng, our chief’s strength will increase drastically. By then, will we still have to be afraid of the Drawn Reins village? When that happens, we’ll trample over the Drawn Reins village, plunder all of their food and wealth, and play with all of their women. Then we’ll have our revenge.”

“Quiet! Don’t mess up the chief’s plans!” A person scolded them with a subdued voice.

The conversation immediately died out, only leaving the soft chirping of autumn insects that were close to dying. The round moon rose high into the sky.

A small person a foot tall suddenly emerged from the ground, hesitating as it made its way to the highest cliff that received the most moonlight. At a closer glance, it was not a person at all but a ginseng instead. It only barely possessed a humanoid form, so it looked like a small person in the dark. It seemed as light as a feather as it walked, moving like it was floating.

The ginseng foragers hidden in the bushes immediately held their breaths, afraid of making any sounds. This was a wondrous spiritual herb. They had never seen anything like it despite gathering ginseng for all of their lives.

The spiritual ginseng looked around as if it were confirming that no one else was here. It drifted to the highest cliff and settled down there. The essence of the moon wrapped around its body.

“Do it!” With the order, the ginseng foragers moved together. A net descended from the sky, falling towards the spiritual ginseng.

The spiritual ginseng was submerged in the essence of the moon. As such, before it could react, it had become caught in the net and lifted from the ground. The net was woven from the tendon of cows, so it was impossible for it to break free.

The four ginseng foragers were utterly overjoyed, approaching it and studying it carefully.

“There are a lot of cliffs on the Bailao peak, and they’ve all had people assigned to them, yet the spiritual ginseng just happened to fall into our hands. We’re blessed by the heavens. When we get back, we’ll be able to get some soup to drink at the very least. Maybe we can become masters.”

“Maybe you can become an immortal if you eat the whole thing!”

The four of them laughed together. One of their faces suddenly stiffened, and the snow-white tip of a sword emerged from his throat. He struggled as he tried to look back.

The sword was drawn from his body, and he immediately collapsed on the ground. All he could vaguely see was a black shadow as he fell down.

The other ginseng foragers all responded, drawing their blades as they roared out furiously and swung at the black shadow. The sword swept past their throats like a clever snake and some droplets of blood splattered in the air.

In a single instant, the four ginseng foragers were murdered, yet they could not even launch a single attack back. The assailant’s skill was evident.

“I never thought that the rumors would be true. Hmph, why would a group of mountain villagers like you be worthy of using something like this?” A young man in luxurious robes stowed his sword away in an elegant manner. At the same time, he extended his hand and reached towards the spiritual ginseng. He struggled to hold back his excitement as well. As long as he obtained it, his martial arts would advance drastically.

However, at this moment, something happened. The falling spiritual ginseng suddenly moved away horizontally such that the man grabbed nothing.

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Chapter 28 – The Promise of ‘South’

The man was surprised. He only saw the spiritual ginseng levitating in the air. He panicked and used his movement technique, reaching towards the spiritual ginseng, but it directly flew off the cliff. He could only watch as it vanished into the darkness. He was so depressed that he wanted to spit blood.

“No, I have to get the spiritual ginseng. I’ll get father to send people over to search the mountains when I get back.”

The man only thought it was a wondrous property of the spiritual ginseng, but if his eyes had been awakened, he would have seen the spiritual ginseng being firmly clutched in a pair of small, pale-white hands. He had stalked his prey, but he was unaware of being stalked himself. A ghost he could not see had remained hidden in the dark the entire time.

At the bottom of the cliff, Xiao An used everything he had to hold onto the spiritual ginseng, drifting towards the Drawn Reins village along with the night wind. He was so happy that he wanted to explode in joy. It was all due to the nurturing he had experienced when he resided in the scholar wood tablet that he possessed the strength to grab something so heavy.

In the courtyard, Li Qingshan yawned. His eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Xiao An drift over from afar. “Little ghost, where did you run off to?”

Xiao An bit his lip sternly, suppressing the joy he felt inside as he laid the spiritual ginseng in his hands in front of Li Qingshan.

“Hmm? What’s this? Ginseng?” Li Qingshan took the spiritual ginseng and sniffed it gently. A strange, faint fragrance entered his nose, and he immediately felt his mind shudder. The true qi in his body seemed to become much livelier.

Li Qingshan suddenly thought of something. “This is… the spiritual ginseng!” He experienced quite a lot of disbelief. The spiritual herb that had turned two villages against each other as absolute enemies and claimed several dozen lives was currently in his hands.

The black ox chewed the grass lazily. “Why else do you think the little ghost runs off every night?”

Li Qingshan checked Xiao An. As expected, he was exhausted, but he also felt endless joy. He even used his small hand to point at his mouth as if he were telling Li Qingshan to eat it.

For the past few days, Xiao An would leave when it was dusk and only return when it was close to dawn, no longer communicating with him as much as before. Li Qingshan had thought the little ghost yearned for freedom and wanted to leave him. Only now did he understand that all of it was his sake.

“This kid!” Li Qingshan felt his nose tingle, as he was on the verge of crying. “Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

Xiao An smiled bashfully before pointing at his mouth again.

Even though Li Qingshan had a heart of stone, he could not help but be touched as he faced this pure gaze without the slightest hint of selfishness. He asked the black ox, “Xiao An should be able to use the spiritual ginseng as well, right?”

The black ox said, “The spiritual ginseng is a rare, innate object of nature. The spiritual qi it contains is beneficial even to ghosts. However, if you use it for yourself, you can easily achieve the strength of an ox. Can you bring yourself to share it?”

Li Qingshan said, “Why can’t I? The spiritual ginseng came from Xiao An in the first place, so Xiao An should use it. I can just slowly practise my ability.” The way he approached matters had not changed due to the temptation of the spiritual ginseng.

Xiao An immediately retreated and waved his hands.

“Enough. I will appreciate your kind intentions, so just take it.”

All Xiao An did was shake his head. In the end, he turned into a wisp and dove into the wooden tablet.

“Oi, get out here. If you don’t want it, I’m going to throw it away.”

The black ox suddenly called out, “Since he wants you to have it, why must you be so persistent and act like a little girl? Won’t you be able to find something that’s a hundred or a thousand times better than the spiritual ginseng for him?”

Li Qingshan shuddered inside and nodded. “Brother ox is right. I’ve been obstinate. Alright, come out. I’ll use the spiritual ginseng.” Xiao An immediately flew out.

“However, you do deserve a share of this. I can’t use it all for myself. If you decline again, I’m going to get angry.”

Only then did Xiao An agree.

Li Qingshan waved the spiritual ginseng in his hand. “Brother ox, how do I use this?” Xiao An was a ghost, so he was unable to eat anything.

The black ox said, “Go find a needle and extract a droplet of ginseng juice.”

Li Qingshan abided, finding a needle before stabbing it into the spiritual ginseng. The spiritual ginseng trembled in his hand, but he obviously would not become soft-hearted against a plant. A droplet of ginseng juice oozed out, gathering on the tip of the needle.

The black ox said, “Alright, drip it onto his forehead!”

“Forehead? Xiao An, raise your head!”

Xiao An raised his head in a hurry, and the droplet of ginseng juice dripped from the needle, landing between his eyebrows. His body trembled like a ripple of water as the ginseng juice suddenly shone resplendently in his body.

Xiao An shut his eyes firmly. His expression was sometimes of pain and sometimes of joy. He only calmed down after the light had subsided, and he slowly opened his eyes. There was now something extra in his eyes. Two tear streaks ran down his face.

“What’s wrong?”

The black ox said, “He must have remembered something.”

“Really? Xiao An, do you remember who you are and where your home is?” Li Qingshan knelt on one knee in a hurry and looked into his eyes.

Xiao An hesitated for quite a while before pointing in a direction. The south.

Li Qingshan asked rapidly, “Your home’s to the south? Which city is it? Is it far from here?”

However, Xiao An was unable to answer these questions. He only shook his head in confusion.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan drew his hunting blade and began carving the scholar wood tablet. Wood shavings fell down, and the word ‘south’ immediately appeared on the blank side. He lifted it up in front of Xiao An.

Under the moonlight, a young man knelt on the ground on one knee and promised seriously to a child. “No matter how many dangers, difficulties, obstacles, and hardships there are, there will be a day when I send you home.”

The child stared at his figure blankly, never able to forget this, just like the red mole that had formed between his eyebrows where the droplet had landed.

Li Qingshan hung the wooden tablet on his waist again before asking Xiao An whether he felt any differences. He wondered whether the spiritual ginseng was useful or not.

Xiao An leapt into the air and flew around the courtyard like a whirlwind. He lifted up Li Qingshan’s hunting blade and swung it about in the yard.

If it were someone else, all they would be able to see was a blade dancing about by itself, moving as if it possessed its own consciousness.

Not only had Xiao An become much faster, but he could even carry heavier objects. He had become stronger. If he launched a sneak attack or an ambush, even masters within the jianghu would be doomed.

“Brother ox, am I supposed to use it like that as well?”

“That would be too big of a waste. The best way to ingest the ginseng is to combine it with other spiritual herbs and refine it into a pill, but you don’t have that option. You can treat the spiritual ginseng like ordinary ginseng and soak it in alcohol. That way, the spiritual ginseng won’t wither, but its spiritual qi will permeate the alcohol, turning it into spiritual alcohol. You’ll be able to absorb its effects slowly. Oh also, you can’t mix it with any other medicines.”

“That’s a good idea!” Li Qingshan knew it was impossible for him to digest the spiritual ginseng in a single stroke. If he did try, it would either lack great effect, or he would just explode. “However, for a treasure like this, I just don’t feel safe unless I carry it on me.”

When he said that, a wine gourd flew towards Li Qingshan. He caught it. “Thanks, brother ox!” He placed the spiritual ginseng inside the gourd, filled it up with strong alcohol, before hanging it on his waist.

He crossed his arms, standing with his powerful body and the large gourd by his side. He was still young, but he gave off an uninhibited, heroic air.

“Xiao An, don’t you think I look more and more like a person of the jianghu?”

Xiao An smiled as well, but then his expression changed. He became worried. However, he could not speak, so he panicked slightly. Suddenly, he thought of something, crouched down on the ground and began drawing.

Li Qingshan went up to take a look. Xiao An had actually written a line of pretty words. He did not understand calligraphy, but he could tell that Xiao An’s words were dignified, delicate, and elegant, much better than his own handwriting.

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Chapter 29 – Autumn Hunting in the Mountains

Li Qingshan asked in a hurry, “You’re literate. Did you remember it just now?”

Xiao An nodded and made Li Qingshan look at what he had written.

From Xian An, Li Qingshan learned that someone else had originally butt in to try and take the spiritual ginseng, and their martial arts was very powerful. Since they had seen this, they would never give up. They would definitely find a way to look for it.

“It looks like I need to be careful. I have to keep everything hidden. However, once I take a step further with my ability and develop the strength of an ox, there’ll be no need for me to be afraid of anyone.”

The spiritual alcohol would not become better the longer the spiritual ginseng remained in it. If it became too strong, Li Qingshan would not be able to digest it. As a result, he had his first sip of the spiritual alcohol after waiting for just a few days.

A special fragrance expanded through his mouth. The taste was not heavy and was rather faint instead. Extremely pure spiritual qi permeated his body.

He did not waste any time, utilising the ability to digest the spiritual qi. To his surprise, a sip of spiritual alcohol basically resulted in better effects than drinking a whole jar of alcohol made from regular ginseng.

The true qi in his body became twice as powerful. Although regular ginseng could replenish vitality, they were just regular objects of mortals, unable to affect true qi too much. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength focused on practising the body and not practising qi, so his true qi had never grown particularly quickly.

The spiritual ginseng was a true, innate object of nature, best at replenishing spiritual qi, which was why it had such effects. If this continued, he would be able to release his true qi beyond his body before long. By then, he could call himself an ‘innate master’.

“Brother ox, I once swore that I would drink all of the finest alcohol the world has to offer. It looks like I’m mostly done now!” After drinking the spiritual alcohol, he would only find normal alcohol tasteless now.

The black ox only responded with a sneer.

At this moment, a racket started outside, along with a lot of barking. Huang Binghu had arrived in front of Li Qingshan’s door with the hunters from the village, inviting him to participate in the autumn hunt with them.

Autumn was a great time for hunting. Not only did people have to prepare food for the winter, but the animals had to as well. Every single one of them would have stuffed themselves until they were plump. As such, the autumn hunt was an important gathering for the Drawn Reins village.

Many large clans would hold large-scale hunts during this time, not to hunt prey, but to train their descendents, complementing the desolation of autumn.

Huang Binghu said, “You’ve only learnt archery, but you haven’t learnt the true way to hunt. You should stay by my side when we go into the mountains this time!” Ever since he clashed with Li Qingshan last time, he no longer treated Li Qingshan as a regular youth.

Li Qingshan considered it, but he declined in the end. “Thank you for the offer, hunting chief, but I want to hunt alone.”

Before Huang Binghu could say anything, the other hunters began expressing their thoughts.

“What? Alone? Not only have you not learnt how to hunt before, but you don’t even have a proper hunting dog.”

“You really aren’t afraid of the vicious beasts in the mountains?”

Although they admired Li Qingshan’s skill in being able to kill seven ginseng foragers, they could not allow their forte to be looked down upon.

Huang Binghu tried to persuade him. “Hunting is not just about having some decent archery and skill.” Suddenly, he thought of grandpa Zang’s evaluation. A lone wolf!

Li Qingshan continued to shake his head. He only wanted to learn archery so that he could kill enemies and protect himself. As for hunting, it was unnecessary for him.

“If he wants to be alone, then let him be alone. Let’s see what he can catch in the end.”

“I think he won’t even be able to catch a rabbit.”

Li Qingshan smiled without contributing to the conversation.

Suddenly, someone said dripping with sarcasm, “You’ve already freeloaded in the village for so long, yet you still refuse to oblige to some arrangements. Do you really plan on freeloading forever?”

In the days he had spent in the village, all of his food and drink had been delivered to him under Huang Binghu’s orders, which definitely used up some of the village’s resources. He had a large appetite as well, so some resentment was natural.

Huang Binghu immediately scolded that person, “Qingshan is also a part of our village. How can you bicker with him over some food and drink?”

Li Qingshan became stern. He clasped his fist. “Hunting chief, there’s no need for you to feel troubled over this. I, Li Qingshan, draw a clear line between my debts of kindness and grievances. I will never profit at another’s expenses. I will definitely return everything I’ve consumed in the village these days twofold.”

“Qingshan, there’s no need to…” Huang Binghu was utterly furious with the person who had spoken. I’ve been working my heart out to rope him into the village, yet you’re going to push him out over a bit of meat.

Li Qingshan did not want to become a part of any place. There was neither the need nor the interest. “I’ve heard that the village will hold a competition for the autumn hunt each year to see who has hunted the most prey, where the winner even gets some prizes. I’ll participate this year as well.”

Huang Binghu struggled to persuade him otherwise. Li Qingshan made some slight preparations and entered the mountains with a regular hunting bow as everyone looked at him like he was a joke.

The hunters went to the mountains in the north. Li Qingshan did not want to be with them, but the west was the myriad mountains. He had gained an understanding for the mysteriousness of this world, so he did not want much risk at all. Yet, to the south was the place of trouble, the Bailao peak, which was why he could only go to the east.

On Bailao peak, a group of people in the same uniform, all carrying swords, gathered together.

The leader was the young man who had killed the ginseng foragers that day. Back then, he had almost obtained the spiritual ginseng.

“Search! Even if you have to flip the entire mountain peak upside down, you have to find the spiritual ginseng!”

“Yes, young master!” The group of people responded and used their masterful movements techniques, shooting off to various places on Bailao peak.

Li Qingshan ventured deep into the mountains. He did not know how to distinguish the tracks of birds and beasts, nor did he know how to hide his own tracks. He did not know how to set traps either, and he was not working with other hunters. He did not even have a hunting dog with him.

If someone like him said they wanted to hunt, any hunter would laugh their heart out.

However, he was in no hurry at all. He began meditating among a pile of deadwood in the mountains. Only when it was dusk did he open his eyes and smile. “Xiao An!”

There was a gale of chilly wind between the trees. A while later, it returned.

Li Qingshan stood up and walked between the trees. Before long, he discovered a deer that had fallen dead. There was not a single mark on its body.

Ever since Xiao An’s strength had increased, his yin qi had grown heavier as well. He discovered that the deer had only run into him before it immediately fell unconscious and dropped dead.

Li Qingshan laughed. “As long as you’re here, Xiao An, there’s obviously no need to learn any hunting skills. It’s a waste of time. They were actually looking down on me. Let’s catch a lot to show them.”

Ever since the Mid-Autumn Festival, Li Qingshan no longer let Xiao An run free like before, keeping him in check a lot more. Now, when he used him, he did it without holding back at all. To people close to him, there was obviously no need for so much courtesy.

Xiao An nodded excitedly before diving into the trees as a gust of wind again.

The animals in the forests and mountains were vigilant, but they could not be vigilant about an invisible little ghost. They all dropped dead, waiting for Li Qingshan to come and collect them.

Li Qingshan had nothing to do, so he practised archery, shooting at the startled birds in the forest. Shooting moving objects was much more difficult as expected. Out of every three arrows, two would miss. However, as he gradually became accustomed to it, he missed less and less.

By dawn, a few hunters had brought their prey back to the village. However, most of them remained in the mountains, working together to hunt.

In an empty piece of land at the centre of the village, the respected grandpa Zang was responsible for counting the prey. He revealed a smile on his usually stern face. “Not a bad haul. It’s a good omen.” Afterwards, the women and children remaining in the village would deal with the prey, tanning the hides and preserving the meat.

“Why hasn’t Li Qingshan returned yet?” There were already people eager to see Li Qingshan make a fool of himself.

“He entered the mountains to hunt alone, so why would he return so soon?”

Right after that, a person called out, “Li Qingshan has returned.”

“W- what’s that?” Several people looked in the direction of the voice, but the first thing they saw was not a person, but a hairy monster that formed a pile. It was just like a wild man mentioned in the legends.

Li Qingshan bent his waist back and carried water deer, milu deer, and so on. There were many large prey, amounting to several hundred kilograms. Additionally, plenty of pheasants and rabbits hung from his waist. The journey off the mountains had even made him sweat profusely. He said with difficulty, “Oi, Xiao An, it’s too much! It’s too darn heavy!”

Xiao An sat atop the mound of prey and laughed secretly while covering his mouth. He looked back as the east shone dimly. Before the first ray of sunlight could fall, he dove into the wooden tablet.

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Chapter 30 – Chasing a Tiger to its Death

With a rumble, Li Qingshan placed all of the game before grandpa Zang. “This should make up for the food I’ve eaten during the time I’ve spent here!”

There were gulps in the surroundings. In particular, the hunters who had just returned were dumbfounded. They had set off with a large group of people, working together in cooperation with careful preparation, yet the prey they had caught was still less than Li Qingshan’s hoard.

Even more to his surprise, grandpa Zang discovered that there were not even any wounds on many of the game. “Just how did you hunt?”

This was the question everyone present wanted answered. Li Qingshan considered it before replying, “With my hands!”

Everyone was taken aback in admiration, but they could not bring themselves to question him further.

Li Qingshan glanced at the prey the hunters had brought back from the mountains. “You’ve caught so much as well. You’re almost going to catch up to me. No, I have to put some more effort into it, or I can’t win.”

Grandpa Zang was unable to explain to him that the prey would be split between each hunter. On average, there was not even a prey for each hunter. Li Qingshan had basically won already after the first day of hunting.

Li Qingshan ate before returning to the mountains.

The hunters returned to the mountains in the north and told everyone what had happened in the village.

“How’s that possible?”

“You must have drunk in the village!”

“It’s true. There really was that much game.” They explained in a hurry.

“This kid!” Huang Binghu exhaled deeply and called out, “All of you put your back into it. Don’t fall behind him. If even all of us combined can’t match him alone, we’d better kill ourselves in shame!”

The hunters agreed loudly, and their morale swelled.

Huang Binghu secretly held back a series of coughs. He looked at the centre of his hand and saw some dark red blood.

On a path in the mountains, a convoy moved slowly. At the centre was a sedan chair carried by four men, and over a dozen guards and servants were gathered in the surroundings.

A fat man lifted up the curtains of the sedan, revealing his chubby face. He asked, “Advisor, how far are we from Qingyang city?” It was clearly late autumn, yet he was still drenched in sweat as he sat in the sedan chair.

A person dressed like a caretaker said, “Sir, it’s still quite far away. If we can arrive by tonight, we’ll be doing fine.”

The fat man placed down the curtains and muttered to himself, “Despite all of my knowledge at administering affairs, he actually sent me to such a remote place to be a district magistrate. Sir prefect really is befuddled.”

“Sir, you can’t say things like that. It’ll be bad if it makes it to the prefect.”

The fat official snorted and said nothing more.

At this moment, the mountain wind suddenly appeared, and countless birds fluttered through the forest, alarmed.

Rwaar! A roar rang out from the thicket beside the mountain path.

The sedan chair fell to the ground with a thud, shaking up the fat official. “W- what’s happening? Is someone trying to murder me?”

“S- sir, i- it’s a tiger!” The advisor fell to the ground and pointed ahead with his trembling finger.

A magnificent tiger leapt down from the slope, landing on the mountain path. It glared at the sedan chair viciously as it stood there majestically. The tiger had a ‘王’ pattern on its head.

“Huff, tiger? What? A Tiger! S- somebody come quick and deal with this beast!”

The advisor was close to bursting out into tears. “T- they’ve all fled.”

The fat official lifted up the curtains of the sedan chair to look around. As expected, the chairmen, guards, and servants were nowhere to be seen, having all fled for their lives. They had reacted as soon as the tiger’s roar had rung out. As working people at the bottom of society, they were constantly vigilant.

As the saying went, people would pale from the mention of a tiger. There was not a single common person who did not fear tigers in this day and age. Tigers eating people was nothing out of the ordinary.

“My advisor, you really are loyal. I haven’t favored you for nothing!” the fat official said emotionally.

The advisor responded automatically, “Thank you for your praise, sir. Even if this one becomes torn to shreds, I’ll never be able to reciprocate even one ten-thousandth of the kindness you’ve shown me.” Meanwhile, he cursed inside, Fucking hell, I- I can’t move!

“Hold on, I’ll go get reinforcements!” The fat official emerged from the sedan chair with great agility, about to flee for his life.

The advisor grabbed the fat official’s leg and clung on for dear life. “Sir, don’t abandon me!”

Looking at the plump pile of meat, the vicious tiger’s eyes seemed to light up. Just when it was about to lunge over, its ears suddenly perked up, and it pulled back, facing the forest.

The vegetation moved about, and the rustling grew closer and closer. It gave off a much greater disturbance than when the tiger had appeared earlier.

“W- what’s that now?” the advisor murmured.

A figure flew out from the vegetation. It was a young man. His young face was not exactly handsome, but his expression was elated. He landed on the mountain path powerfully and nimbly, facing the tiger and grinning. “Now that’s a good, rare prey!”

As if the tiger knew he was difficult to deal with, it bared its fangs and brandished its claws to threaten him, but it ended up being useless. With a lunge, it threw itself at Li Qingshan with a roar.

Li Qingshan’s legs remained rooted as he grabbed the tiger’s two paws with his arms, facing the tiger’s mouth that brimmed with sharp teeth. A foul air attacked his face. He bellowed out, and his true qi surged violently. Channelling strength through his arms, he tossed the tiger several hundred kilograms in weight onto the ground, leaping and mounting its back.

He had never fought a tiger before. He had only read about Wu Song slaying a tiger from Water Margin, so he copied it, grabbing onto the tiger by its back and randomly pounding it with his fists.

The tiger roared out wildly in pain. It bucked its back suddenly, and Li Qingshan shot off. He thought to himself, Reality really is different from the books. He forced his true qi downwards and landed firmly, remaining alert against the tiger.

However, the tiger only glanced at him and growled before turning around and fleeing.

Before this moment, the fat official and the advisor had been stunned by the sight in front of their eyes. Only now did they return to their senses. They were overjoyed.

“Young hero, brave warrior, I am the prefecture magistrate of Qingyang. You’ve chased away the tiger, so I will reward you handsomely!”

However, Li Qingshan did not even glance at them. He yelled out, “Where do you think you’re going?!” With that, he rushed off, grabbing the tiger’s tail that was like a steel cord. However, it was slippery, making it difficult to get a grip on it.

How could Li Qingshan be willing to let such a good prey escape from right in front of him? He rushed off in pursuit.

The fat official and advisor only recovered from the surprise after quite a while. They looked at each other.

The autumn hunt had ended, and a joyful atmosphere filled the Drawn Reins village.

Li Qingshan also returned to the village. There were several wounds on his body now. As such, he seemed to be in quite a sorry shape. However, everyone looked at him in reverence, not because of his wounds, but because of the prey on his shoulders.

He was carrying an adult tiger on his shoulders.

He had chased the tiger for a whole day and a whole night through the forest. He had only managed this feat through the endurance that the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength had granted him. If it were not for Xiao An, who helped him follow the tiger’s trail, he would have come close to losing it many times.

However, Xiao An was unable to get too close to this king of the mountain. Tigers naturally possessed an aura that could subdue ghosts. As a matter of fact, tigers that had become tiger monsters or tiger daemons could even turn the people it had eaten into subservient ghosts.

The children from the village ran around Li Qingshan as their eyes shone with admiration.

Huang Binghu personally came out to welcome him back before declaring him to be the winner. No one in the village dared to object. Not only were tigers extremely terrifying beasts to ordinary people, hunters felt the same about them. Ordinary hunting bows were unable to kill tigers and would instead rouse their viciousness, while facing a tiger in close combat with a hunting knife would only lead to death.

Li Qingshan had killed the tiger, so he seemed to possess the might of a tiger.

“I don’t really have anything valuable, so this Stone Splitter bow can serve as the prize for this autumn hunt!” Huang Binghu suddenly removed the huge bow from his back.

“The Stone Splitter bow!”

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Chapter 31 – The Stone Splitter Bow

“Hunting chief, you mustn’t!” The other hunters quickly tried to dissuade him.

Li Qingshan felt surprised as well. He actually wanted to give him his personal bow. The implication of this was much more than just giving away a body, so he objected, “Hunting chief, good men will never take a beloved item of others. I can’t accept this prize. Please treat all of this as a joke of mine!”

Huang Binghu rubbed the bow gently and said regardless of the objection, “The Stone Splitter bow has accompanied me for many years, and it’s convenient to use. It has also helped me make a name for myself in the jianghu. Now that I don’t have much time left, I want to choose a good master for it.”

“I heard you disliked grandpa Zang’s bow because it was too light. The Stone Splitter bow is a metal composite bow. It has a draw weight of three stones. Even normal practitioners of martial arts can’t use it. Here, don’t dilly-dally.” Huang Binghu pushed the Stone Splitter bow into Li Qingshan’s hands.

Li Qingshan held the bow, which felt heavy in his hands. He thought about how Huang Binghu stood atop the boulder before and killed people effortlessly.

Yes, this bow was not suited for hunting; instead, it was made for fighting on the battlefield. It was truly a weapon for killing people.

He fiddled around with the bowstring with his finger. There were metal strands within it, so it was extremely sharp. Normal people would need a ring to use it, but it was not a worry for him thanks to his Ox Demon Forges its Hide.

It was somewhat like Huang Binghu was entrusting his child to someone else. Although he had not mentioned it like that, everyone present could tell. However, no one objected to it. This was not only due to Huang Binghu’s power and influence, but also because Li Qingshan had demonstrated his strength to everyone.

Whether Li Qingshan possessed the capability of leadership or whether the villagers would accept him as their leader was not an issue. Yielding to the powerful was an instinct of people, just like in a wolf pack. The Drawn Reins village was a wolf pack, while Huang Binghu wanted Li Qingshan to take over the position of wolf king.

He had only decided this after long, careful consideration. The Drawn Reins village was disliked by the government, and they had completely fallen out with the Ginseng King village. They seemed awe-inspiring, but they were actually facing danger from everywhere. Although there were outstanding talents in the village, none of them possessed the ability to control the situation. Only Li Qingshan could manage it.

Li Qingshan held the Stone Splitter bow as he felt like he was dreaming. Just a few months ago, he was the most inconspicuous and lowly cowherd in Crouching Ox village.

Now, he had the chance to become the hunting chief of the infamous Drawn Reins village. However, he did not accept the position. “Hunting chief, I’ll accept the bow, so thank you for your kindness. However, I’ve actually come today to bid you farewell.”

There was a commotion with that. Everyone felt that Li Qingshan was far too unappreciative. Even if Huang Binghu knew about his strength and potential, turning down the offer before so many people would still make Huang Binghu look bad.

“But I don’t want to take it for free.” He returned to his house and took out a small bottle of alcohol, handing it to Huang Binghu, “This is the medicinal alcohol my master left me in the past. It might be able to cure your illness.”

“D- do you really think so?” Now that he faced a chance for survival, Huang Binghu became rather excited. The other people stirred as well.

Li Qingshan smiled. “You’re welcome to try it.” This was the spiritual alcohol made from the spiritual ginseng. He did not possess any medicinal skills, but he did understand Huang Binghu’s sickness slightly. He was born frail, and the years of practising martial arts had used up the source of his life. He completely relied on his inner force to remain alive.

This was a terminal illness that all physicians, no matter how divine, would struggle to cure. It was a natural, innate deficiency that could not be made up for with ginseng or lingzhi ganoderma. However, the spiritual ginseng possessed this innate energy, which could save Huang Binghu’s life.

Huang Binghu drank it all in a single gulp before sitting down to meditate. A while later, white mist rose from the top of his head, and his waxy, sallow face recovered some redness. He opened his eyes after quite a while.

“Hunting chief, how do you feel?” the hunters all asked.

Huang Binghu touched his chest in disbelief. “Much better.” It was not just much better. It was better than he had ever felt before; it was as if he had regained his youth.

There was a cheer. Many hunters even shed tears. Many of the people who were originally hostile and had feelings of rejection towards Li Qingshan changed their sentiment completely. They held his hands and thanked him endlessly as tears of gratitude flowed.

Li Qingshan waved the Stone Splitter bow. “Then it would be rude for me to turn down the bow now.”

Huang Binghu reddened slightly. “About that… Li Qingshan… Could I switch the prize…” Having evaded death, he immediately became reluctant to part with this ‘old companion’.

“Don’t even think about it!” Li Qingshan declined firmly. “The words of men of the mountains weigh heavily just like the mountains. How can you just take it back so easily?”

“Then fine!” Huang Binghu said with a long face, which led to a roar of laughter in the surroundings. It was rare to see their hunting chief like that.

“Li Qingshan, will you be coming back?”

“I’m just going to the Crouching Ox village to take a look. There are still some matters I need to resolve there. And, I want some peace to myself so that I can practise my martial arts. I want to see if I can make a breakthrough.”

After drinking the spiritual alcohol these days, Li Qingshan felt like he had already touched on a critical juncture of the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. He planned on going on a retreat alone to achieve the strength of an ox. Once that happened, there was no longer a reason for him to hide in the mountains and forests. He would be able to go and check out the outside world.

He remembered the fatty he saved yesterday, who seemed to refer to himself as some district magistrate of Qingyang. He wanted to complete his promise to Xiao An. He had no idea just how far south Xiao An was referring to, but he had to take a first step.

“Another breakthrough?!” Huang Binghu had sensed long ago that the current Li Qingshan seemed completely different once again compared to a few days ago. His aura and energy had changed drastically. His rate of improvements was simply alarming.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, he said he was going to make another breakthrough. Huang Binghu could not help but think about what Li Qingshan had said before, where Li Qingshan told him he wanted to become an ‘innate master’. Back then, Huang Binghu had only shrugged it off with a smile, but now, he suddenly felt that perhaps he might truly achieve it.

“But what about the prey that you caught?” Li Qingshan’s haul from the past few days could almost rival the entire village’s haul.

“I don’t really care about the others. I just want the bones of the tiger. And, please collect some more tiger bones for me. I want to brew some medicinal alcohol with it. I will buy it according to the market price.”

The reason why he had chased the tiger relentlessly was not just to look good before the village. Instead, the black ox had told him that once he had attained the strength of an ox with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, he could begin practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging, which required another type of medicinal alcohol. One of the central materials to it was similar to ginseng, valuable and rare. It was tiger bones.

Hunters treated tigers as their arch nemesis. Individual hunters were afraid of tigers, but once a tiger created too much of a disturbance, there would definitely be a large-scale search of the mountain. They hunters would obviously set down many traps. Wild beasts were vicious, but they were still unable to defeat humans. There should have been quite a lot of tiger bones accumulated in the Drawn Reins village.

Huang Binghu said, “Is it also a formula that your master left behind?”

“Yes.”

“Are the men of our Drawn Reins village supposed to be stingy while you’re so generous? I can make the medicinal alcohol for you, but could we use your two formulas as well?”

Huang Binghu secretly tested Li Qingshan’s formula, and the medicinal alcohol he brewed was much better than the medicinal alcohol the village originally used. Moreover, there was no need to purchase the items that went into making it from other people. The village could gather all it by themselves. If he used it to nurture the future generation, the strength of the Drawn Reins village would reach a whole new level before long.

Li Qingshan found no reason not to. The two formulas only created medicinal alcohol that went overboard. They were not particularly valuable, so it was no issue even if he gave it to someone else. It would also save him the trouble of making the medicinal alcohol himself, so it was perfect.

He gave the formulas to Huang Binghu before taking the Stone Splitter bow, mounting the ox and riding off slowly.

Only when Li Qingshan’s figure disappeared around the corner of the mountain path did grandpa Zang whisper to Huang Binghu, “Hunting chief, why didn’t you make him stay earlier? The spiritual ginseng is most likely on him, and the alcohol you drank was most likely steeped with spiritual ginseng. The spiritual ginseng is probably in the gourd on his waist.”

Li Qingshan never mentioned the matter of the spiritual ginseng, but in the eyes of this experienced, old hunter, there were just far too many aspects that gave it away. Meanwhile, to Huang Binghu, who had once roamed through the jianghu, these aspects only appeared clearer and easier for him to understand.

Huang Binghu gazed at the mountain path that Li Qingshan vanished on. After a long moment of silence, he turned around and said, “At the end of the day, we’re different from those ginseng foragers, aren’t we?”

“Yes, hunting chief!”

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Chapter 32 – Uncompromising

Grandpa Zang showed much admiration. Many of the mountain villages were the same as the Ginseng King village, especially the hunting villages. After all, hunting people was much easier than hunting beasts. Coming across a lone traveller, taking them out with a single arrow and taking their things was simply too easy.

Ever since Huang Binghu became the leader of the Drawn Reins village, he restrained the villagers strictly, so this had never happened.

On the mountain path, the black ox said to Li Qingshan, “With how you gave away the spiritual wine, there are at least two people who managed to tell you possess the spiritual ginseng.”

Li Qingshan said, “I know!”

“It’s very likely for them to turn against you such that you will remain in the Drawn Reins village forever.”

“I know that as well.” As a person of two lives, Li Qingshan was not an ignorant teenager. He did know about the many dark sides to human nature.

“However, I’m willing to take that risk. Living in the world, if you always have to be careful, untrusting of others, untrusting of yourself, what’s the point to it all even if you achieve supreme abilities?”

He already possessed some estimate of his personal strength. He was confident that even in the worst-case scenario, he could kill his way out. And, he believed that his strength could act as a deterrent to others.

I receive them so enthusiastically while I silently press against my sword. Would you call that being mature?

Li Qingshan sighed slightly inside. He gently rubbed the wooden tablet with the two words, ‘south’ and ‘An’, carved into it. At least, there was still a person, er, ghost he could wholeheartedly trust and believe in.

He travelled along the rugged mountain path slowly. The maple trees along the way were as vibrant as fire, ranging from red, orange, yellow, and green. It was beautiful.

Li Qingshan produced his reed flute again and began playing it. The clear flute sound rang through the autumn mountains.

“You still can’t find it?” The young man regarded as ‘young master’ by all the swordsmen asked rather anxiously. He had led a group of people to search Bailao peak for many days now. He even expanded the range, but he did not even catch a glimpse of the spiritual ginseng.

“Young master, we’ve already trampled the Ginseng King village. The spiritual ginseng definitely isn’t in there. They said that the Drawn Reins village must have it. Should we trample the Drawn Reins village as well?” a swordsman asked.

“Hmph, they have a huge grievance with the Drawn Reins village, so of course they would say that. Do they really think that I don’t know? The Drawn Reins village pulled back their men on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival before going to the north to hold their autumn hunt. The Drawn Reins village can’t be compared to the bumpkins from the Ginseng King village. In the past, Huang Binghu had made a name for himself in the jianghu with his archery. Unless we have to, it’s best if we don’t provoke him.”

Not a single person from the jianghu dared to take bows or crossbows lightly. Even first-rate masters would suffer in the face of a wave of arrows.

“Wise be the young master. It looks like we can only wait until the next full moon.”

The young master felt rather proud of himself as well. Suddenly, he heard something. “What’s that sound?”

“Seems like a flute.”

“A flute? The closest places to here are only the Ginseng King village and the Drawn Reins village. Let’s go take a look.”

The black ox suddenly stopped. Li Qingshan also saw them using his superior senses. There were over a dozen people, stepping on treetops and boulders lightly as they made their way over from the distance. Every single one of them carried a treasured sword. They were extremely elegant.

“Are those movement techniques?” Li Qingshan sighed in surprise before immediately thinking of the person that Xiao An had mentioned, causing him to raise his vigilance. However, he should have been quite far away from Bailao peak.

The young master arrived before Li Qingshan first, and his subordinates all praised loudly, “Impressive movement technique, young master!”

Li Qingshan saw the young master. He had red lips and white teeth, quite a handsome appearance. After being praised by his subordinates, he smiled arrogantly. If it were not for the calluses on his sword-wielding hand, he would seem like the son of a noble.

He studied the young master, but the young master did not study him, only glancing at him slightly. “You’re from the Drawn Reins village?”

Li Qingshan said, “I am. May I ask who you are, sir?”

“Do you really think you have the right to ask for our young master’s name?” A tall, skinny swordsman with an unhealthy complexion saw how Li Qingshan was seated so boldly on the ox and drew his sword in a flash, launching a straight stab at his face. “Get off there!” He purposefully wanted to frighten him off the ox so that he could make a fool of himself.

Li Qingshan’s face turned frosty. He moved to the side slowly and waited for the swordsman to overextend. He grasped the timing and his eyes shone, quickly extending a hand and grabbing the blade of the sword.

The tall, skinny swordsman sneered inside, You actually grabbed my sword? This is a sword forged from fine steel that the sect gave me. I just need to twist it, and I can chop your hand off.”

However, when he twisted the sword, not only did nothing go to plan, but the fine, steel sword even became twisted like a rope. The blade of the sword remained stuck in Li Qingshan’s hands without the slightest movement. The strength of his entire arm could not even match a few fingers from Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan was infuriated. They had no ill feelings at all, yet from the slightest disagreement, this person wanted to disable him for life. These jianghu people were just too vicious.

With a clang, the sword snapped. The tall, skinny swordsman’s face darkened and paled. A little-known nobody had actually broken his sword, so how was he supposed to hold back his anger? He grabbed his broken sword and tried to rush Li Qingshan.

The young master scolded, “Chi Da, get back here. Your skills are poor, so stop embarrassing our Dragon’s Gate sword sect.”

“Yes, I am useless. I will seek punishment from the disciplinary hall when we return.” The tall, skinny swordsman by the name of Chi Da was afraid of refusing, so he backed away. However, he glanced at Li Qingshan extremely viciously.

The young master was rather interested. “I never thought that I would come across a master of external martial arts so deep in the mountains. You do have the right to learn my name. Listen up, I am Yang Jun of the Dragon’s Gate sword sect.”

Li Qingshan shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

“You ignorant countryman. The swords of our Dragon’s Gate sword sect can’t just be broken by anyone. I won’t make it difficult for you. You just need to leave your hand behind!”

“Then which hand do you want, may I ask?” Li Qingshan was furious. He was tempted to cut down Yang Jun on the spot. Originally, he believed that even if practitioners of martial arts did not have a strong sense of justice, they would be somewhat cultured at the very least. However, looking at it now, he was completely wrong.

The good and evil of human nature was all up to a single thought. Once a person possessed the power to be able to play with the lives of others in their hands, just how many people could retain their so-called nature and not take whatever they wanted, doing whatever they wanted?

However, this group of people could not be compared to the ginseng foragers who knew some martial arts. They were actual practitioners of martial arts. The Ox Demon Forges its Hide could block punches, but it could not block fine steel swords embedded with inner force. And, they all possessed movements techniques, so even fleeing would be difficult.

Yang Jun said, “But seeing how young you are, you have quite the aptitude to be able to practise your external martial arts to such a level. If I disable you just like this, it would be quite a pity. Why don’t you serve me instead?”

That was his true objective, as most practitioners of external martial arts were honest and frank. They did not think as much as practitioners of internal martial arts, so they were quite literally people who had muscles for brains. As a result, many jianghu masters had practitioners of external martial arts as their retainer.

He had always wanted to be like the nobles and recruit a person like this. He took a liking towards Li Qingshan as soon as he saw him. Wasn’t this exactly what he wanted? He wanted to deal a psychological blow to him right now. All he needed to do in the future would be give him some slight benefits, and he would be able to raise a loyal hound.

“Young master, you mustn’t!” Chi Da tried to dissuade him in a hurry. If the kid really did become the young master’s retainer, his status would only rise.

Yang Jun shot him a glance, and he immediately shut up.

Another swordsman said, “Why don’t you quickly agree? Our Dragon’s Gate sword sect reigns over Qingyang city. Even becoming a menial disciple is difficult. The young master has now chosen to promote you, and you can achieve instant glory as a result.”

“I, Li Qingshan, will never serve as a retainer for anyone!” Li Qingshan stressed each word. He came from another world. He possessed the same feelings of love and hatred as the people of this world, but there was one difference. He pledged no loyalty. He would not pledge himself to anybody, no matter how kind-hearted, noble, righteous, or terrifyingly powerful they were.

He might pursue someone and befriend that person, but he would never pledge his loyalty to them, let alone a wastrel like Yang Jun. He did not have much experience in roaming through the jianghu, but he could tell that Yang Jun’s martial arts were nothing extraordinary out of these people. It was only because of his identity as the young master that he had a retinue around him.

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Chapter 33 – A Battle at the Peak

If they were alone, the current Li Qingshan possessed the confidence to defeat or even kill Jun Yang within ten moves.

“Hmph, you’ll wish you had accepted my offer immediately!” Yang Jun was about to issue an order for his men to capture Li Qingshan. Even if the Drawn Reins village could not be trifled with, there was no need to worry about anything being divulged if the corpse and all the traces were destroyed considering that they were so deep in the mountains.

Li Qingshan’s body seized up. He planned on going straight for the leader to destroy the group. He could endure a strike from the sword and capture Yang Jun before deciding what to do.

Someone suddenly said, “Young master, he seems to be carrying the Stone Splitter bow on his back!”

“What? The Stone Splitter bow!” Yang Jun stopped and studied the great bow on Li Qingshan’s back. Even he possessed some understanding of the renowned weapon of the figure who had made a name for himself near Qingyang city. “Where did you get the bow from?”

“It’s obviously a gift from the hunting chief,” said Li Qingshan.

Yang Jun became uneasy. He would hear and see things in the sect, so he had learnt everything he should know. To be able to receive this weapon, he was probably Huang Binghu’s successor, the next hunting chief of the Drawn Reins village.

If someone like him died, the Drawn Reins village would never let the matter rest. They could find out they had been moving about in this area without much effort at all. If they truly tried to avenge him with everything that they had, their sneak attacks and traps would be difficult to handle. He could not afford to cause something like that because of his momentary anger. He waved his hand. “Kid, don’t let me meet you again.”

In the blink of an eye, all of them were gone. Once again, only Li Qingshan was left on the mountain path. He was not a mind reader, but he could guess that they probably feared the might of the Drawn Reins village.

When strangers see you, they are never looking at just you. Instead, they look at your influence, strength, and wealth. Although Li Qingshan was no different from a third-rate master, he had only evaded the dangerous situation prior because of the bow on his back.

He was fuming as he thought to himself, I swear I am not a man if I don’t repay this debt. I won’t accept anyone who purposefully makes things difficult for me, nor will I live relying on the names of others.

Originally, he disagreed with the black ox’s philosophy that even the slightest grievance, such as a hostile glare, had to be resolved. He felt that as a man, he should be slightly forgiving. Only now did he understand that many great grievances often developed from just this hostile glare, evolving into life or death struggles.

After more than a month since his departure, Li Qingshan returned to the Crouching Ox village once more. Before he had even set foot through the gate, he heard something in his house. Is there a thief? Fair enough, my residence is rather remote. I would like to see just which thief dares to rob me. His anger had not subsided, so he made his way in quickly and grabbed the person, causing them to turn around in pain.

The two pairs of eyes met, and they both became surprised.

“Li Fugui!”

“Erlang!”

“What are you doing in my house?”

“Erlang, you’re alive?”

Li Qingshan saw how even though he had been gone for over a month, there was not a speck of dust in the house. Then he realised that Li Fugui was not stealing anything. Rather, he was cleaning his house for him.

“Of course I’m alive. Why do you say that?”

Only with that question did Li Qingshan find out the story. When there was no more news of him after he left Cypress Stream village, combined with how villagers had seen him in conflict with the people of the Drawn Reins village, they had all said that he was done for.

Li Fugui even burnt some joss paper and cried for him.

Li Qingshan had no idea how to react. “Aren’t I alive and well? Hunting chief Huang of the Drawn Reins village invited me to their village as a guest, so I stayed there for a few days.”

Li Fugui never imagined he could enter a place of danger like the Drawn Reins village and still emerge alive. As for hunting chief Huang’s invitation, he did not believe it much at all. In his eyes, Li Qingshan was powerful. However, he was still nowhere close to someone like Huang Binghu. He did not know how to respond, so all he did was repeat, “As long as you’re fine, as long as you’re fine.” It did touch Li Qingshan a little. He had not chosen to help the wrong person before.

However, Li Fugui’s expression suddenly became worried. “You’d better go. Don’t let the people from the village know that you’re here.”

“What has happened now?”

“The first son of the village head has returned. He said he’s looking to make things difficult for you.”

“Li Long!”

Li Qingshan did not find the name of the village head Li’s first son, or Li Hu and Li Bao’s elder brother, unfamiliar. Instead, his name had been mentioned so often in the village that Li Qingshan’s ears were about to fall off.

TL: Li is the surname. Long means dragon, Hu means tiger and Bao means leopard. They’re all named after ferocious beasts.

Li Long was only a few years older than him, but it was said that when he was playing around outside, a noble had taken a fancy to him. As a result, he had been taken to Qingyang city to learn martial arts. He would only return whenever there was a festival. He had seen the cowherd Li Qingshan a few times, but they had never even held a conversation before.

In the eyes of the villagers, he was an important figure of excellence who had managed to leave the village and reach Qingyang city. The daughter of every family in the village longed to be engaged to him. Along with caretaker Liu’s son, little caretaker Liu, they were known as the ‘Two Talents of the Crouching Ox’.

Of course, after Li Qingshan’s sudden rise, perhaps it should be known as the ‘Three Talents of the Crouching Ox’. However, Li Qingshan had never gone out and seen the world. He had never gone to Qingyang city before, so regarding him as the ‘third talent’ seemed a little far-fetched.

Li Qingshan said, “Am I supposed to be afraid of him?” Not only was he not afraid, but he even wanted to check him out. He ignored Li Fugui’s efforts of dissuasion and took off for village head Li’s home.

In the village head’s house, a young man with a buzz cut lectured village head Li, “Even any old person is bold enough to harass us. You really are letting your lives worsen instead of bettering it.” Then he pointed at Li Hu and Li Bao. “And look at you two grown men, you’re just letting others harass us as much as they want?”

He had basically grown up in Qingyang city, having experienced and witnessed a great abundance of things. As such, he already treated himself as a person of Qingyang. He was looking at what happened in the village from the perspective of a ‘city folk’ right now, so he automatically developed a sense of disdain; it was not just to Li Qingshan, but to everything that had to do with the village as well.

He was not young, but he had yet to marry. His household had once frantically searched for a partner for him, but he readily rejected it all. A village girl was no longer worthy of him.

The village head, who had been so mighty in the village, could only serve as a yes-man now. “Don’t be irritated, my son. That kid is dead anyway.”

“He provoked the Drawn Reins village, so that’s him bringing about his own death. It’ll save me the effort of teaching him a lesson.”

Li Hu shrank back and agreed to his every word, but Li Bao said, “Big brother, you are not allowing us to join the Iron Fist school to learn martial arts, so of course we’ll be harassed in the village.”

Li Long shot a glance at him. “That’s because both of you are unworthy!”

“Li Qingshan is not dead! Li Qingshan has returned!” Someone called out suddenly from outside.

Li Long leapt to his feet.

If that piece of news only caused a ripple in the calm village, then the message of ‘Li Qingshan is going to village head Li’s house!’ would be a roaring wave, causing the entire village to set out once more. They wanted to see the battle at the peak between the first talent and the third talent of Crouching Ox village.

Under the scorching sun, Li Qingshan and Li Long gazed into each other’s eyes. The villagers all held their breaths as if they were afraid of disturbing them.

Li Hu and Li Bao stood beside Li Long to add to his presence. Li Long waved his hand and sent the two away. “Li Erlang, long time no see. You’ve already grown this big.”

He had completely spoken in the tone of a senior to a junior, but the villagers believed he had that right. They whispered,

“Erlang is in big trouble this time.”

“Yeah, Li Long can’t be compared to those scoundrels like patch-haired Liu.”

Li Qingshan did not continue the conversation. He looked at Li Long’s tall, sturdy stature, with swelling muscles and a pair of shining eyes. Just by standing there, he gave off an aura of might, but Li Qingshan’s instincts told him that this person was not as powerful as Huang Binghu.

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Chapter 34 – The Martial Arts Society of Qingyang

Even a sick Huang Binghu gave Li Qingshan a feeling akin to a tiger. His very essence, his bones, would remain standing even if he were dying. His might would never collapse, making him extremely dangerous. During their spar last time, Huang Binghu had made a mistake in his battle tactic, taking him on in a close combat brawl. He fought with his weakest aspect against Li Qingshan’s strongest, so it was natural for him to struggle. Otherwise, even without Huang Binghu using his archery, Li Qingshan would fail to defeat him even with a weapon in hand.

Li Long said, “I heard you wanted to see me?”

Li Long had some judgement as well. He thought to himself, This Li Erlang has got an aura of level-headedness. You can tell from a single glance that he practises martial arts; he is unlike a regular ruffian. Moreover, the presence he gives off is a little like master’s.

Immediately, he shook his head. He found this connection he had made to be funny. Who was his master supposed to be? How could he be compared to someone like Li Qingshan?

“You were bold enough to harass my family while I wasn’t home. Don’t you know how the word ‘death’ is spelt?”

“Oh, I would like to learn how it’s spelt.”

Before Li Qingshan had even finished talking, Li Long erupted with a roar and launched an attack. Using his move ‘Sago Palm Pierces the Clouds’, he attacked Li Qingshan’s chest.

There were a series of cries from the surroundings. Li Fugui called out, “Be careful, Erlang!”

Li Qingshan stood without moving, perhaps unable to dodge or simply petrified from fright. Li Long felt contempt inside, Turns out it’s all just an act. You’ve made me overestimate you.

With a muffled thud, the punch landed on Li Qingshan. Li Qingshan used the Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves, and his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground. He did not move at all, “Considering we’re from the same village, I’ll give you a handicap of three punches.”

Li Long was stunned. He had only used thirty percent of his strength in that punch. Even among his seniors and juniors, there was not a single person bold enough to receive it forcefully. However, some unknown junior had received it like that now. Just as he was taken aback in surprise and doubt, he became even more furious from Li Qingshan’s words. He was actually so arrogant.

In the blink of an eye, the second punch was thrown. He used seventy percent of his full strength and thought, You can’t blame me for not showing mercy this time! The punch struck Li Qingshan’s body with a swift gale.

Li Qingshan trembled and said, “You still aren’t using your full strength, right? Hurry up, it’s your last move.”

Li Long looked at Li Qingshan like he had seen a ghost, but he refused to be misled by this act. Suddenly, he erupted with a bellow and used his full strength, the complete one hundred percent. The huge muscles on his arms bulged with veins, and he abruptly formed a fist that gave off a slightly darker colour. It was truly like iron. In regular battles, even when it came to life or death, he would never do this. He would be afraid of overextending and revealing an opening, but he could not care anymore. He used his full strength to launch his strongest and fiercest punch.

Taking the punch head-on, Li Qingshan’s figure wavered before finally taking a step back. His face reddened as well as his body surged inside. “That punch had some strength, but now that you’ve used up your three punches, it’s my turn.” He raised his hand and threw a punch.

“Iron Chains Across the River!” As the fierce punch whistled over, Li Long paled in fright. He crossed his arms and used the strongest defensive move the Iron Fist school had to offer. Afterwards, he felt like a charging bull had struck him, the chains falling apart in the raging river flow. He was blown away uncontrollably. Even when he landed on the ground, disbelief still filled him. I was actually defeated in a single move! How can he possess so much strength!?

“The second punch!” A black shadow filled his vision and instantly blocked the sunlight. Li Qingshan had already appeared in front of him.

Li Long wanted to block, but his arms were in so much pain that he could no longer raise them.

Li Qingshan’s punch descended from above, striking Li Long’s stomach like a pile. Li Long immediately curled up like a prawn and vomited.

“The third punch!” It directly flew towards Li Long’s face.

The villagers cried out; this unexpected turn of events left them astounded. The greatest talent of the village that they had mentioned constantly, Li Long, had actually been defeated in an instant. Moreover, he had been defeated in such an overwhelming manner.

Li Hu and Li Bao found this even more difficult to believe. Their elder brother that they always admired was actually so flimsy.

Village head Li yelled out hoarsely, “Show mercy!”

There was a gust of wind but no pain. Li Long opened his eyes slowly and saw Li Qingshan’s fist, which had stopped right before his face. Li Long could feel that he was already drenched in cold sweat.

In that moment earlier, he felt like he was facing his undefeatable master, only able to shut his eyes and wait for his doom

Village head Li threw himself at Li Qingshan, grabbing the latter’s arm with his skinny hands. “Erlang, Erlang, for the sake of your departed parents, spare my little Long!”

“Father, move. He has come for me!” Li Long struggled to his feet.

Li Qingshan said, “I’ll save this punch for now considering how you have some filial piety.” He was rather satisfied with his moves earlier. He was not taking pride in his strength but his tactics.

Li Long had practised martial arts for over a decade, which was not for nothing. He was much more experienced in battle than Li Qingshan. If they had a proper battle, Li Long would have never engaged in close combat with him, forcefully taking on his blows. Li Qingshan would need to expend quite the effort to win.

As a result, Li Qingshan just let him throw three punches first. Blocking punches like that was his forte. He would focus on wherever Li Long punched, and the true qi in his body would flow to that point.

After throwing the three punches, not only was Li Long taken aback mentally, but his physical strength had declined drastically as well. He could not dodge, only able to endure Li Qingshan’s punch, which led to his loss. Li Long stood up under the support of Li Hu and Li Bao. “Are you really Li Erlang? This is impossible!” He only had an extremely blurry impression of Li Qingshan, besides him being rather unsociable. He was not a person of any importance. Even from his father’s description, Li Qingshan was just a hot-blooded youth who had been forced into suddenly responding violently. He had seen this frequently before. He had never thought Li Qingshan would actually know martial arts.

This scenario was just like a child who had ventured out of the mountains and toiled about. The child finally established himself, succeeding and making a name for himself and returning home with glory and riches. Just when his fellow villagers worshipped him, an unremarkable country kid suddenly appeared and was even richer than him. The dejection he felt inside had reached the very bottom and anger soon followed.

“I’m not Li Erlang. I’m Li Qingshan!” Since he no longer had an elder brother, Li Qingshan did not want to be some Erlang any longer.

Li Long said viciously, “Then do you know who I am?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then do you know who my master is?”

“Who?”

“The current master of the Iron Fist school of Qingyang city, known as the Iron Lion by the people of the jianghu, old hero Liu!” Suddenly, caretaker Liu emerged from the crowd and interrupted with an elated tone of admiration.

Li Qingshan frowned. “Never heard of him.” What Iron Fist school? What old hero Liu? It all sounded like third-raters, but he forgot that he himself was a third-rater as well.

“Ignorant. You actually don’t even know my master’s name. Looks like you haven’t heard about the four great masters of Qingyang, the ‘Dragon, Tiger, Lion, and Bear’!”

“Don’t tell me that the Dragon is you!”Li Qingshan glared at him. This was the second time he had been called ignorant today. All he knew was that in the wuxia novels of his previous life, any person who used an animal as a nickname was an insignificant minor character. Whether it be wolf, tiger, leopard, or so on, none of them were any good.

Only people who used directions as their nickname were true, peerless masters, like Eastern Heretic, Western Venom, Southern Emperor, and Northern Beggar.¹

“Of course not,” Li Long wanted to laugh from exasperation.

In Qingyang city, within the government office, the advisor held a small book and introduced to the fat official,

“Sir, apart from the local aristocrats and landowners, there are four other people in four places that you can’t afford to offend.”

The fat official said in irritation, “I might as well offend nobody in the entire Qingyang city!”

The advisor ignored his feelings. “These four places are a school, a sect, a village, and a stronghold.”

“What do you mean by a school, a sect, a village, and a stronghold?”

“The school is the Iron Fist school, the sect is the Dragon’s Gate sect, the village is the Drawn Reins village, and the stronghold is the Black Wind stronghold. The ‘Dragon, Tiger, Lion, and Bear’ are the respective leaders of these places. Sir, if you offend the local aristocrats, you’ll be chased out of Qingyang city at most and lose your position as district magistrate. However, if you offend these parties, you might end up losing your life unknowingly.”

The fat official’s body jiggled. “Why is it so frightening to be an official? Oh right, have you found the young man that we came across that day? If I can have someone like him serve as a guard, I’ll be able to sleep soundly at night.”

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1. These are four of the Five Greats, five powerful martial artists, taken from Louis Cha/Jin Yong’s Condor Trilogy

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Chapter 35 – The Startling News from the Black Wind Stronghold

As it turned out, the people on the mountain path earlier today were from the Dragon’s Gate sect, and the haughty person was the young sect master. No wonder he was so arrogant.

Li Long was surprised. “You know the ‘Sickly Tiger’?” Afterwards, he obviously saw the bow on Li Qingshan’s back. As Huang Binghu rarely ventured out to Qingyang city, he was unable to confirm if this was the Stone Splitter bow.

Li Qingshan nodded and said nothing else.

Li Long said, “Then your martial arts are probably from…”

“No, and you don’t need to worry about it. If you want revenge, just come at me.”Li Qingshan did not want to use Huang Binghu’s tiger hide as a flag to scare away enemies. He did not want to assume the might of someone else as his own.

Li Long’s expression changed as he thought to himself, Li Qingshan’s martial arts already makes him a third-rate master, so what kind of person is his master supposed to be like? He has connections with Huang Binghu as well. I only had a small dispute with him, so even if I end up killing him, it’ll bring me no benefit. It is better to resolve this grievance peacefully instead of deepening it.

Li Long made up his mind, and his expression suddenly changed. He smiled slightly, even though the smile was slightly forced. “Erlang, we’re all from the same hometown, so are there any great grievances between us that have to be settled violently?”

Li Qingshan was surprised at this response. Originally, he thought the development of this matter would be angering the senior after beating up the junior, so the whole hornet’s nest would chase him to the end of his road. Subsequently, he would achieve something with his ability and slaughter them all.

He had never thought that although Li Long seemed rash, he was actually highly flexible and rather thick-skinned; he was actually able to change his attitude. Li Qingshan had basically witnessed the practical shrewdness of people of the jianghu.

Li Long smiled. “And I threw three punches in exchange for two from you. I’ve basically gotten the better end of the deal.”

“You’re welcome to improve your end of the deal even further.” Li Qingshan saw how he wanted revenge but only changed his mind after hearing Huang Binghu’s name. When he thought about how this was the second time he had relied on this to avoid trouble, his feelings became very mixed.

He hoped that one day, he could be just like that, just like Huang Binghu. No, we wanted to be better than Huang Binghu, where even from a thousand kilometres away, people would show deep respect when his name was mentioned, afraid of slandering him.

Li Long forced a smile. “There’s no need for that. Don’t just stand there, let’s go in and talk. Our Crouching Ox village has produced a young hero like this, so I need to get to know you properly.” Then he clasped his fist at the surroundings. “Fellow countrymen, please go. If I have the time, I will pay a visit to you one by one.”

The villagers looked at one another. The outcome had truly exceeded their expectations, but since Li Long had dismissed them, they did not dare to stay. However, in their minds, Li Qingshan had quietly replaced Li Long as the greatest talent of Crouching Ox village.

Since Li Long had humbled himself, Li Qingshan could not reject him. It was just like what he had said. There were no particularly great grievances between them, and he wanted to learn about Qingyang city. In particular, he wanted to know more about the Dragon’s Gate sect.

Under everyone’s fearful and admiring gazes, Li Qingshan was invited into village head Li’s home. Unlike the nervousness he experienced when he attended the banquet at caretaker Liu’s home, he was relaxed and completely at ease now. In the eyes of others, he seemed supercilious. This was a change in his mental state and aura as a result of his strength.

“Qingshan, you have such impressive martial arts, so have you ever thought about holding a position in Qingyang city? Our Iron Fist school welcomes all exceptional people from across the world. With your martial arts, my master would definitely take a liking to you.” Li Long tried to rope him in right from the beginning.

“But I already have martial arts. Can I just join the Iron Fist school like this?” Li Qingshan admired Li Long’s tolerance, but he was clueless of Li Long’s internal conflict before he made this proposal. Although Li Qingshan had hit him with two punches, they did not have any particularly severe grievances. If Li Long could rope him onto his side, helping each other as fellow countrymen, it would benefit his status in the school.

“There obviously needs to be a guarantor, but don’t worry, I can be your guarantor! Our Iron Fist school is expansive, such that our influence and power is not limited to Qingyang city. The main branch is established in the Clear River prefecture. As long as your fists are hard enough and you have sufficient merit, your future development won’t be a problem. Women and money will be in easy reach too…”

Expressions of extreme jealousy were plastered across Li Hu and Li Bao’s faces. They could only blame their elder brother for not serving as a guarantor for them. As a result, they could not enjoy the women and money in the city.

“Yeah, yeah. My son, Liu Neng, serves as the caretaker of old hero Liu’s estate. He’ll be taken care of like that in the future as well.” Caretaker Liu followed them in as well. Fortunately, he had not offended Li Qingshan too much in the past. Who would have thought that the mere cowherd from before would become so powerful in a mere few months.

As Li Long continued, Li Qingshang gradually understood that although the Iron Fist school accepted disciples into its school, they were more like a gang or sect that resided in the city. That old hero Liu with the nickname of Iron Tiger should be the leader of a side branch or a side school.

Li Qingshan said, “Please pardon my question, but may I ask what rate old hero Liu’s martial arts would be within the jianghu?”

“If you had asked someone else, they might not be able to answer you. My master has trained his Iron Fist to great mastery. He’s a second-rate master.”

“Then how does he compare with me?”

“That…” Li Long had never thought that Li Qingshan would compare himself to a figure who stood at the very peak of Qingyang, his master, as soon as he spoke. He felt rather displeased. “I’m not exaggerating, but while your martial arts are impressive, Qingshan, you’re only at the top of the third-rate. You’re nowhere close to being my master’s opponent.”

“Then may I ask how these rates are determined?”

“My master has said that a practitioner of martial arts who has gained a basic grasp can take on three to five adult men, while a skilled adept of the jianghu can take on three to five pratitioners of martial arts. It’s determined like that. It’s not a measurement of absolute accuracy, but it gives a general idea. Once you go past that number, you’ll just end up being outnumbered.”

“However, that’s only for open confrontations. If it’s about maneuvering and sneak attacks, a first-rate master skilled in movement techniques can strike utter fear into the hearts of several dozen second-rate masters, but a few dozen trained archers or crossbowmen can also kill a first-rate master.”

Li Qingshan gained a rough understanding of his strength. The ginseng foragers were practitioners trained in martial arts. As such, he was a skilled martial artist back then, which was why he had only managed to eke out a miserable victory.

After some training, he barely managed to make it to the level of third-rate masters. Only after drinking the spiritual alcohol did he truly become a third-rate master. Li Long could be considered to be adept at martial arts, but he was not a master. As a result, he was not Li Qingshan’s opponent.

“Apologies. I’ve already promised hunting chief Huang of the Drawn Reins village to join the Drawn Reins village, so I might not be able to accept your invitation.” He could not help but think of the past. Back then, he could not even find peace when sleeping in the cowshed, treated as a thorn in the side by his elder brother’s family. They had wanted to find a way to chase him away. Now, there were people trying to invite him to places.

Li Long was not surprised, as he had been expecting this. He said in pity, “The Drawn Reins village cannot offer a lot of benefits. Out of the four places of Qingyang, our Iron Fist school still enjoys the most freedom. They’re cooped up in the mountains, so how can they be compared to the bustling world we’re right next to? Whatever. If you ever change your mind, come to Qingyang city, and you’re more than welcome to come to the Iron Fist school to look for me. You just need to state my name.”

Li Qingshan could not help but smile. As expected, there were not a lot of people who roamed the jianghu to uphold justice and help the weak. He asked a lot more questions, and Li Long answered them with everything he knew. Li Qingshan saw how generous Li Long was and knew that he was a sensible person, so he showed some additional respect. “Brother Li, today is not a festival, so why have you returned?”

Li Long suddenly whispered, “Even if you didn’t ask me, I would have told you anyway. I’ve returned this time for a major matter that endangers the Crouching Ox village. The Crouching Ox village might have become a target to ransack for the Black Wind stronghold.”

Aside from Li Qingshan, everyone in the house immediately became disturbed.

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Chapter 36 – All of You Will Die

Caretaker Liu stuttered, “S- surely not. The Black Wind stronghold is so far away from us. They’ve never come here before…” He had the largest household in the village, so the Black Wind stronghold would come for him first.

“I heard that the villages near the Black Wind stronghold have all strengthened their defences and erected walls. That’s why they’re travelling further away. Now that it’s almost winter, they also have to stockpile food. Caretaker Liu, your granaries must all be full!”

“Won’t the government do something about it?” Only now did Li Qingshan understand something; as it turned out, mountain bandits also had an ‘autumn hunt’. To the hunters, autumn was when the wild beasts were plump. On the other hand, to the mountain bandits, autumn was when the villagers who had just harvested their fruits of labor were the plumpest.

“Hmph, the government collects money every year, saying that they need it to deal with bandits, yet it’s never settled properly.”

Caretaker Liu said, “T- then, what do we do? Sonny, why didn’t you bring more people back with you?”

Li Long glanced at him unhappily. Why wouldn’t he want to bring back more people? However, he was only one of his master’s disciples, not the master of the school. He could get along well with his brothers normally, but it was impossible for him to make them face off against the bandits of the Black Wind stronghold.

However, he was only accepted under the Iron Lion’s tutelage due to caretaker Liu many years ago. With that in consideration, he could not just rebuke him. All he could say was,

“I alone am sufficient. The master of the Black Wind stronghold is definitely not leading them this time. It should be one of the bosses at most. As long as I state my master’s name, he should show me some respect. However, I do need some people on my side to match them in aura. Qingshan…” Li Long looked at Li Qingshan anxiously. If a master like him remained by his side, he would have a bit more confidence.

Li Qingshan deeply doubted whether this could work. The bandits would travel so far just to come here, so were they supposed to retreat after simply hearing a name? However, he would not allow people to ransack the small village where he was born and raised. He clasped his fist. “It will be my duty.”

After Li Qingshang gave his word, Li Long’s heart eased up. With a third-rate master as a helper, he would have much more confidence in dealing with this matter. This was an extremely crucial part of why he had conceded to Li Qingshan so much.

Village head Li and caretaker Liu arranged for some workers and guards to make preparations, and they even equipped them with weapons. Although the news had been locked down, the atmosphere immediately became tense.

Caretaker Liu said as he trembled, “Sonny, should we just seek shelter elsewhere temporarily?”

Li Long said, “There’s no need for that. They’ve mainly come to plunder. They won’t kill or burn without good reason. However, caretaker Liu, you might have to pay quite the price this time.”

Caretaker Liu let out a long sigh. He was unable to avoid this calamity. He could leave, but his property could not.

They waited quietly in the house. Li Hu and Li Bao dripped with sweat out of pure fright as they held onto their weapons. They could not help but think about the various terrifying rumors they had heard regarding Black Wind Mountain.

Li Long glanced at his brothers, and then he glanced at Li Qingshan, who sat there composed with his eyes shut. Li Long sighed inside, If you were even just half as brave as him, I would definitely take you to Qingyang city.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Before night had even fallen, the clanging of metal suddenly filled the village. This sound came from the scout posted outside the village. He was a quick-footed lad with sharp eyes and ears that caretaker Liu had chosen.

“They’re here!” Li Long said.

Li Qingshan’s eyes snapped open. How bold of these mountain bandits to actually come ransacking under the light of day.

The clanging suddenly stopped.

A few people hurried to the entrance of the village, but all they saw was a cloud of dust approaching from the distance. In the blink of an eye, it had arrived. There were several dozen people, but regardless of their statures, whether they be tall or short, fat or skinny, every single one of them had vicious faces. The leader rode a pony that could move through the mountains, and he held a bloody head in his hand.

“Little Six!” Caretaker Liu called out. The head belonged to the lad that he had sent out for scouting, but the bandits had actually killed him. Caretaker Liu’s legs almost gave way from fright as he looked at Li Long. Didn’t you say that they wouldn’t kill without good reason?

Li Long’s eyebrows furrowed into a mess as he whispered, “They’re killing to establish their might.” Afterwards, he clasped his fist and said loudly, “I am Li Long of the Iron Fist school. May I ask which boss of the Black Wind stronghold has come?”

“This is our third boss. If you’re clever, hand over your money and food. Don’t make things difficult for I, your grandfather, or I’ll burn down your entire damn village!” A mountain bandit called out, and the other bandits bawled out with him. They brandished their weapons with sneers plastered across their faces. It was like they were looking at a group of lambs for slaughter.

The third boss had a full beard and a fierce appearance. He tossed the head to the ground, which rolled to Li Long’s feet. “The Iron Fist school? If the Iron Lion was here, I would leave immediately without any objections, but who are you supposed to be?”

When Li Hu and Li Bao saw the cloud of dust, they became ashen from fear as their legs trembled. Now, their legs gave way, so they collapsed on the ground.

The mountain bandits laughed aloud. “How impressive of you, third boss!”

Li Long’s expression changed, and he gasped. It was rumored that out of the many bosses of the Black Wind stronghold, the third boss was the cruelest. His mood constantly changed, and he could do anything, from raping to kidnapping. In the eyes of the villagers near the Black Wind stronghold, he was even more terrifying than the stronghold’s master.

However, since he had asked who Li Long was supposed to be, it demonstrated that he was still fearful of the Iron Fist school. He wanted to find out about his relationship with the Iron Lion. With no other choice given the current circumstances, Li Long could only hold back his anger. “I am my master’s final disciple. I knew that the third boss would be coming, but I wouldn’t want you to return empty-handed. As such, I’ve prepared a small gift. Please spare the Crouching Ox village for my master’s sake.”

Caretaker Liu offered up an embroidered box as he trembled. With a flick of his horse whip, the embroidered box flew into the third boss’s hands. He had demonstrated rather powerful martial arts.

Opening the box, all he saw was fine, glimmering silver, but his face gradually darkened instead. “A hundred taels. Are you trying to satisfy some beggars with this?”

“G- great king, we’ve done everything that we can.”

“Before nightfall, I want to see a thousand taels and half a tonne of grain. Otherwise, hmph!” The third boss suddenly licked his lips when he reached there; he smiled nefariously. “My brothers also want to borrow a few women. Don’t worry, this isn’t stealing, only borrowing. Once we’re done, we’ll return them to you next spring.”

The mountain bandits all smiled wickedly as one of them said, “It’ll be a blessing to the women who can become the stronghold mistresses of our third boss!” Another bandit added, “By spring, perhaps the women themselves would not want to return.”

However, Li Long knew that not a single woman who had gone to the Black Wind stronghold had returned. They had all been raped to death. He said loudly, “Third boss, will you really give no consideration to the Iron Fist school?”

Meanwhile, caretaker Liu was absolutely stunned by the numbers. He had blanked out, unable to say anything.

“Don’t make me wait too long!” The third boss did not even glance at Li Long. Looking back, he ordered his subordinates, “Urge them on!”

Over twenty mountain bandits made their way around Li Long’s group and entered the village. They hammered the door of each household in the village, and they would force their way into the houses of those who were afraid of opening up. Over a hundred villagers were herded out like sheep, gathering together in complete fear. The barking of dogs and the sobs of women and children immediately merged to create a mess.

The third boss laughed aloud as he looked at this. “We’ll rest in the village tonight!”

“The child was only fourteen. He was still so young. He hadn’t done anything wrong at all.”

Suddenly, an extremely calm voice rang out, so calm that it did not fit in with the current scene. However, the calmness seemed to contain suppressed but uncontrollable killing intent.

Li Qingshan picked up Little Six’s head from the ground and gently closed his eyes.

The third boss squinted. “Who are you?” He had not noticed Li Qingshan. From the start when he had tossed the head to the ground, Li Qingshan had lowered his head, trembling all over. The third boss had thought that he was afraid.

But now, Li Qingshan no longer trembled at all. He said slowly, “What a good, clever child. His parents must have loved him dearly.”

The third boss yawned, “What are you trying to say?”

Suddenly, Li Qingshan raised his head. “Today, all of you will die!”

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Chapter 37 – A Man of His Word

The mountain bandits laughed aloud as if they had just heard an extremely funny joke. However, the third boss sensed something terrifying from Li Qingshan and could not laugh.

The head fell to the ground, and the bowstring was fully drawn.

“Die!” Li Qingshan attacked in an instant. His furious roar could not drown out the thrum of the bowstring as it trembled. The arrow shot towards the third boss along with his surging anger.

With a flash, a tremendous force launched the third boss into the air slightly. Afterwards, he hit the ground heavily.

The force of a three stone bow was startling great. Li Qingshan had completed all of his movements in a single stroke. At such a close distance, only second-rate masters and stronger experts had a chance at dodging it. Clearly, the third boss was not one.

The noisy village immediately quietened down. The eyes of the mountain bandits all widened as they struggled to believe what they were seeing. A half-grown kid had killed the mighty third boss.

Meanwhile, the villagers all looked at Li Qingshan like he was a god. To them, these mountain bandits were terrifying fiends, while the third boss was the leader of these fiends. Li Qingshan truly seemed like a god to them since he could instantly kill the third boss.

Despite the reversal of the situation, Li Long showed no delight; there was only fear.

“Third boss! Third boss!” A few bandits gathered around the third boss. The third boss coughed up a mouthful of blood and pointed at Li Qingshan with a vicious expression. “Kill him!”

He was a third-rate master after all, so he could react instantly. Although he failed to dodge the arrow, he had managed to prevent it from hitting a vital point. The arrow pierced his right arm, shattering all the bones nearby. His right hand was basically crippled. As a result, his eyes were bloodshot; he wanted to swallow Li Qingshan alive.

The bandits responded and drew their blades, spears, swords, and halberds. All of them charged at Li Qingshan as they yelled out crazily.

There was a swift breeze from behind him, and a javelin fell towards the back of his head. He did not even look back, tilting his head slightly to the side and grabbing the javelin. He turned around and threw it back. The javelin returned with ten times the speed, nailing the bandit who had launched the sneak attack to a door.

A square halberd¹, a broad blade, and a red-tasseled spear stabbed at him simultaneously.

Li Qingshan gripped the poles of the spear and halberd and tugged. The two bandits lost their balance and fell towards him in fear. A pair of iron-like arms awaited them and struck their chests like hammers. With two deep groans, the two bandits were both knocked away as blood spurted from their mouths.

Taking advantage of this time, the broad blade arrived near Li Qingshan. The icy-cold edge came in contact with his abdomen. It was about to pierce him through completely, but it was unable to advance an inch further.

Li Qingshan’s two palms slammed against the ears of the blade-wielding bandit. When he lifted his hands from the bandit’s head, the bandit crumpled to the ground like he had lost his soul, slowly bleeding from all of the orifices of his head.

Li Qingshan strode towards the third boss, but the battle cries around him had already become deafening. With a flick of his foot, he kicked up the halberd and held it in his hands.

There were no moves, no consideration. He only swept it.

The wild gust kicked up a semi-circular cloud of dust, rushing towards the bandits.

The tip of the halberd snapped, spinning through the air and stabbing into the ground.

A few weapons were knocked into the air, and a series of cries followed. Some people had tried to block, but they were unable to stop the devastating halberd.

The dust dispersed, and four bandits collapsed on the ground. Only a shorter bandit had his face slashed through, dying on the spot. The three other bandits had their chests cut open, so they all wailed out in pain. Blood scattered on the ground like it was worthless, the rich color flowing everywhere.

Li Qingshan glanced at the broken halberd and thought, What a horrible weapon, before tossing it aside. However, he had no idea how many sturdy bones and how much steel he had just forcefully cut through in the moment prior. It was impossible for ordinary weapons to endure such wear.

In the blink of an eye, eight bandits were dead or incapacitated. The bandits behind all stopped in their tracks as they cried out, holding their weapons. They were afraid of advancing forwards. The horrific sight of that instant had stunned them. The ordinary youth seemed to become a terrifying god of slaughter.

Li Qingshan continued towards the third boss. His face was emotionless as his eyes flickered with red light that even he himself failed to discover.

Meanwhile, he rapidly analysed the situation. He had not lost himself to anger. Here, only the third boss was a third-rate master, so he had heavily injured him with his first attack, removing the greatest threat.

There were a few martial arts adepts among the other bandits, but most of them were on the same level as the ginseng foragers. They had only practised some martial arts, which was enough to harass ordinary people, but it was definitely not enough to rival him.

I- I’m going to die here! The third boss endured his injuries and shifted towards the back, fearfully looking at Li Qingshan as he made his way over. Li Qingshan seemed like a demon in human form as mentioned in those legends, where he could suddenly transform and reveal his vicious fangs. No matter how many people were by his side, they could not save him.

“If I die, the entire Crouching Ox village will be buried with me. Don’t you know who my elder brother is?”

Li Long’s expression became even uglier. He went up and grabbed Li Qingshan. “Qingshan, don’t be rash!”

The third boss used this opportunity to climb onto his pony, grabbing the reins and riding off at top speed. Even without his orders, the other bandits all followed behind him. They even left behind the injured bandits.

Li Qingshan broke free from the grip and grabbed Li Long’s throat firmly. He lifted him up. “Do you want to die as well?”

Li Long struggled. “Y- you can’t kill a boss of the Black Wind stronghold. Have you heard of Under Elm village?”

“Under Elm village!” Caretaker Liu, who had collapsed on the ground and had been frightened half to death, suddenly cried out.

“What Under Elm village?!” Li Qingshan loosened his grip.

“Under Elm village has a custom of practising martial arts. Their villagers are all fierce and brave, and they managed to kill a boss of the Black Wind stronghold. But before long, the master of the Black Wind stronghold personally arrived with the five other bosses and slaughtered the entire village, a population of several hundred people, regardless of age or gender. There were so many corpses that it formed a hill. The master of the Black Wind stronghold had brought the other bosses to hold a memorial service for their deceased brother. Do you want something so horrific to happen to the Crouching Ox village?”

“Then are we supposed to just let them tread over us?” Li Qingshan growled.

“Qingshan, I understand how you feel, but we are all helpless given the current circumstances.”

“Then I’ll become even stronger!”

The expressions of all of the villagers changed. At this moment, all they heard was an extremely vicious promise the third boss left behind from afar. “Just you wait for the Crouching Ox village to be massacred!” Some people collapsed on the ground in fright as the cries and sobs began once more. There was no joy from repelling the bandits.

An injured bandit clutched his chest and smiled viciously. “All of you will die with me!”

“Are you done?” Li Qingshan asked.

“What?”

Li Qingshan released Li Long and kicked the broad blade near his foot. The tip stabbed through the mountain bandit’s throat, immediately taking his life. “I never go back on something I’ve said.” Li Qingshan finished off the other injured bandits and turned back to the villagers. “Nothing will happen. I promise!” Afterwards, he strode off in the direction that the bandits had fled in without looking back.

The sun fell in the west, and the last ray of light vanished from the sky. Darkness descended on the mountains.

Around a roaring bonfire, two bandits helped the third boss pull out the arrow. The third boss groaned in pain, slapping a bandit away. “Can you be a little more fucking gentle?”

The bandit’s mouth bled from the slap, but he faltered, afraid to talk back.

The other bandits were all dejected. With the infamy of the Black Wind stronghold, it had already been a very long time since they had experienced a failure like this. They had already grown accustomed to gazes of fear and flattery. They were used to taking silver and women whenever they wanted to.

“All of you fucking liven up. We will have our revenge. Once I get my hands on that kid…” The third boss smiled viciously.

“We’ll cut him to pieces!” a bandit immediately answered.

“No, we’ll cook him alive. All of us will get a piece of his flesh. The taste must be…” The bandit who wanted to eat Li Qingshan had not even finished speaking when a bloody mark appeared on his throat. Blood spurted out, interrupting the bandit’s discussion on torture.

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1. Polearm on the very right.

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Chapter 38 – Sparing None

“Who? Who did that?” The third boss roared out. Although he was injured, he still possessed his skills. Who could possibly be capable of killing under the gazes of so many bandits?

Thud! Another bandit had his throat slit, collapsing on the ground. He was the one who had answered the third boss first and had suggested cutting Li Qingshan to pieces.

A terrifying demon seemed to be hidden within the dark mountains and forest, and the frightening shade immediately engulfed all of the mountain bandits. None of them saw the attacker or knew how their companions had died. None of them knew whether they would be the next one to die. The fear of the unknown was the most terrifying.

In the chaos, the third and fourth bandit collapsed on the ground as if the scythe of the god of death had claimed their lives.

In the cold, night wind, a fine hunting blade slid through the tall, dried grass like a venomous snake. The blade was smeared with deeply-coloured juices from the grasses, so it was not reflective.

It was a moonless night.

Li Qingshan stood in the dark forest on a hill and watched over everything. Only he could see Xiao An wielding the hunting blade as he moved in between the mountain bandits. Fury filled his face.

The words of the mountains had completely infuriated him. His heart that had grown numb and withered away for so long experienced intense emotion once again. He wanted to kill all of these people.

Li Qingshan saw Xiao An attempt to approach the third boss several times, but he was forced back every time. The vitality of third-rate masters was extremely vigorous, enough to suppress ghosts. Xiao An could only try to approach him because Li Qingshan’s aura as a living person had nurtured him daily.

“Argh!” “Argh!” Along with two cries, another two bandits were killed. The third boss was not useless. He called out, “Everyone get over here! Gather together!” All of the bandits packed around him; the third boss wanted to guarantee his own safety first.

With the vitality and living auras of so many people gathered together, they seemed to become a huge fire that Xiao An was afraid to approach.

Li Qingshan took a sip of the spiritual alcohol in his gourd. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength was not about speed, nor did he have any so-called movement techniques. He had purely relied on his ox-like endurance and the replenishment from the spiritual alcohol to catch up.

He replenished his energy and lifted up the Stone Splitter bow. Now, it’s my turn!

A thrum pierced through the pitch-black night. From the sound alone, it was possible to tell that the string of an extremely heavy bow had been released. It was swift and crisp, containing a sharp force capable of cutting through air.

The feather arrow shot over from the distant darkness with a sharp whistle. It struck a bandit in the chest before piercing another bandit behind him. It was two birds with one stone!

By the time the bandits heard the release of the bow, they had already been struck. The bandits had experienced something like this many times in the past, but none of them actually managed to react in time. The third boss knew that the arrow was faster than sound, so the archer must be an adept at archery. In all of Qingyang, there was probably only a single person who could shoot such arrows.

No, it can’t be that person, or I would be dead already! The third boss glanced at his wounded right shoulder and remembered the kid who had forced him into such a state. Originally, he thought he had simply been too rash and careless, which was why he had fallen for the sneak attack. However, he never imagined that the kid’s archery would be so terrifying.

In reality, Li Qingshan’s archery was still not particularly accurate, especially when abruptly using a heavy bow like the Stone Splitter bow from so far away. The bandits were gathered together, so there was no need for him to put any effort into aiming. He only had to shoot at the centre and his arrow would land.

“Third boss, it’s the kid from before. He has chased us all the way here.”

“H- he wants to kill us all!”

“The arrow is from that direction. Let’s all get him!”

“No, we can’t. Once we separate…”

As they argued, a second arrow pierced the chest of another bandit. The faces of all the bandits became twisted from fear. They were as frantic as sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

The third boss ordered, “This is all because of that kid. Let’s charge over and kill him!” Along with the other bandits, he charged towards the hill as they let loose battle cries.

Li Qingshan remained where he was, unfazed, continuing to fire arrow after arrow.

He fired an arrow from the taut bowstring. It whistled through the darkness, piercing through three dead leaves as it spun and plunged into a bandit before passing through a layer of flesh. Finally, the arrow embedded itself into bone. Only then would it stop spinning.

The tremendous force of the arrows did not even give the bandits the time to cry out. A bandit on the side stopped and looked over in horror. Before his fear could even subside, he felt a piercing pain from his head then nothing else.

The interval between the arrows was actually so brief. The bandits’ charge fell apart as they looked for cover in a hurry. However, before they could even catch their breaths, the mysterious, bloody wounds began appearing on their necks once more. It was even more accurate and terrifying than the arrows.

Someone died at every moment. Their morale that had erupted due to fear collapsed once more. By the time they had returned to their senses, they discovered that the third boss had already mounted his pony and was riding towards the Black Wind stronghold hastily. All of them scattered immediately upon that realisation.

Li Qingshan carried the Stone Splitter bow on his back as he felt his arms ache. The force of a three stone bow truly was extraordinary. However, after shooting over a dozen arrows in succession, he felt like he could not last much longer. Taking in a deep breath, he took another sip of the alcohol.

“Xiao An, we’re chasing them!”

The villagers were still uneasy and in fear back at the Crouching Ox village. Li Long had ordered people to collect the corpses and lay them to rest.

“A’Long, why has this happened?” An old, dignified voice rang out from the darkness.

Li Long shuddered. “Master, why have you come?” He was the master of the Iron Fist school renowned in Qingyang city, the Iron Lion Liu Hong.

“I was afraid you couldn’t repel these mountain bandits, so I came to have a look.” Liu Hong emerged from the darkness. His eyes shone brightly as he naturally gave off a dignified aura. He wore a set of large, luxurious robes. He was awe-inspiring like a mighty lion. He looked at the corpses of the bandits. “You’ve fallen out with the Black Wind stronghold… Hmm? It’s not you. What great force. Tell me, what happened?”

Li Long could only tell him everything in full detail. When Liu Hong heard about the third boss’s words and actions, he snorted coldly. “To think that you would look down on me and the Iron Fist school so much. If I were present, I would’ve personally taken his life. I would like to see whether that bear would be bold enough to turn against me.”

When he heard about Li Qingshan’s actions, he praised, “How daring and skillful. How old is the Li Qingshan you speak of?”

“Around fifteen.” Li Long himself was rather surprised as well. Only when he mentioned it himself did he remember that Li Qingshan was only a teenager.

“What? Only fifteen!” Liu Hong was shocked. He was an experienced member of the jianghu. Let alone fifteen or sixteen year old third-rate masters, he had even seen first-rate masters at such an age. However, there would always be the shadows of large clans or sects behind these talented youths. At the very least, they would have a master of great martial prowess.

Without the guidance of a good master, it was impossible to achieve anything significant no matter how talented they were. “You’ve made the right decision in reconciling with him. This Li Qingshan might be a disciple under some eccentric of the jianghu. Let’s go. We’ll go take a look.”

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Chapter 39 – The Path of Daemons and Demons

Li Long pointed in a direction, and Liu Hong strode off. The Iron Fist school did not focus on movement techniques, but he could cover a distance equivalent to seven or eight ordinary steps with each stride. His sleeves shook in the air as he travelled quickly. Before long, he had arrived at the location where the Black Wind mountain bandits had stopped to set up camp. Only a few corpses remained there, with a few wolves tearing away from them. Upon their arrival, the wolves raised their heads and growled.

Liu Hong snorted coldly and thunderously, scaring away the wolves as they howled. Liu Hong inspected the corpses. “This really is the might of the Stone Splitter bow. Huang Binghu has actually given away his famed weapon. Is he a disciple taught by Huang Binghu? It can’t be. With that sickly old tiger’s martial arts, he can’t have raised a disciple like that.”

“But he has even given him the Stone Splitter bow, so Huang Binghu probably wants him to take over as hunting chief. No wonder he’s not afraid of the Black Wind stronghold. As long as he returns to the Drawn Reins village, the Black Wind stronghold won’t be able to do anything to him. Are they supposed to destroy the entire Drawn Reins village?”

“Does Li Qingshan really plan on killing them all?” Li Long trembled a little as the smell of blood stung his nose. He had practised martial arts for over a decade, and fighting was commonplace for him. However, with the Iron Fist school’s might within Qingyang city, he had never been involved in a battle to the death. At most, he would punish some ignorant street punk or passing wanderer of the jianghu. He had never seen so many dead people before.

“Since he has fallen out with them completely, of course he has to kill them all. A’Long, it has been too peaceful within Qingyang city. Originally, your martial arts should be much greater than right now given your talent.” Liu Hong found it completely reasonable, teaching his disciple a lesson.

Li Long muttered something, unable to find a proper response.

Liu Hong continued to inspect the corpses. “Hmm? This wound is very strange!” He discovered a bandit who had his throat slit.

“What’s so strange?”

“This bandit died in a group of people. Look at his expression and posture when he died. It’s like he failed to react completely.”

“What’s this all about?” Afterwards, Li Long discovered many other bandit corpses with the same wounds. Li Long imagined the strange sight that happened back then and shivered. He could not help but look around, wondering if the dark mountains and forests were hiding monsters. He only eased up when he looked at Liu Hong.

“Anyone with good enough movement techniques can achieve this, but only the master of the Dragon’s Gate sect within all of Qingyang has movement techniques like that. Not only does Li Qingshan have a helper, but they’re very strong too.” Despite all the experience Liu Hong had from wandering the jianghu, he would never have guessed the real reason these bandits failed to react; it was because they could not see their opponent at all.

He followed the traces left behind on the crowd and searched through the depths of the mountains. The bandit corpses were as obvious as guide posts.

There were bandits who had collapsed from arrows, as well as people who had died from having their throats slit.

Li Long had grown completely numb. He recalled Li Qingshan’s earlier words. “Today, all of you will die.” Originally, he only treated it as something Li Qingshan had said out of pure anger, but now, it actually seemed like a declaration. Back when Li Qingshan had grabbed him by the neck, he had not felt particularly afraid, but he felt a lingering sense of fear now.

They discovered the corpse of another bandit. Li Long said, “All of the mountain bandits are dead. It’s just the third boss left now.” Afterwards, they discovered a pony frothing from the mouth, collapsed on the ground.

Before long, Liu Hong stopped and looked below a large tree. Even this experienced member of the jianghu became extremely shocked. Blood flowed very far away. The reeking, sanguine smell was even heavier than the scent beside the bonfire where the most bandits died.

Li Long only caught a single glance and could not help but vomit as if he wanted to puke up all of the horrors he had seen tonight.

For the entire night, the third boss felt like he had been trapped in a nightmare he could not wake up from. The people beside him died one by one as the god of death inched closer to him, step by step.

The third boss used his movement technique and fled towards the Black Wind stronghold desperately. His movements were nowhere near as graceful as the Dragon’s Gate sect, but he was not actually slow, perhaps due to the danger that he faced.

The chilling winds revolved through the surroundings, sticking to him closely such that he was afraid of stopping at all. Only when his inner force was completely depleted did he stop below a large tree, gasping for air.

Looking down from the hill, he could already make out the shape of the Black Wind stronghold. Just when he began to smile.

Thud!

A feathered arrow whistled through the air, piercing his thigh before deeply embedding itself in the tree bark. Dead leaves fell down slowly like rain.

The third boss ignored the pain and looked at the terrifying figure emerging from the woods. He was smiling like a hunter who had caught the prey he had been tracking for a very long time. The string of the great bow in his hand still vibrated.

“That’s it, third boss!”

“I’ll admit that I was in the wrong today. The jianghu is constantly changing, so there’s no harm for us to get acquainted. Argh!” In this moment of danger, the third boss actually tried to deceive Li Qingshan, mentioning some conventional phrase from the jianghu. However, before he could finish his words, an arrow pierced him.

“Don’t you mention that word; you’re unworthy. Come, tell me. Tell me everything about the Black Wind stronghold. How many people are there, how many bosses are there, and how are the martial arts of the first boss?”

“If I tell you, will you spare me?” The third boss was drenched in sweat, feeling both pain and fear.

Li Qingshan considered that question. “No, I can’t. I’ve said before that all of you will die today. I will give you a quick death!” He did not even try to lie, telling it straight to his face. I’ll kill you, whether you tell me or not.

The third boss said, “Fucking hell, if you want to kill me or do something to me, come at me. I won’t even bat an eye.”

Li Qingshan smiled coldly. “Just as I had wished!” Red light flowed through the depths of his eyes, but even Li Qingshan himself failed to discover it.

Li Long barely managed to recover, but he averted his gaze away from the corpse beneath the tree as much as he could. “Master, do we keep on chasing?”

Liu Hong waved his hand. “There’s no need. Now that there’s a bringer of misfortune like him, the jianghu is going to be rowdy.” He had seen many brutal people from the jianghu. The third boss could match them all.

However, for someone to be so vicious and merciless right from the beginning, now that was rare. Almost everyone would vomit a few times at the beginning. Only after going through many trials of life and death would their hearts gradually harden.

Li Long said, “He’s just a third-rate master. He used a sneak attack to heavily injure the third boss. Master, why do you treat him with such importance?”

Liu Hong said, “I’ll just tell you that people like that emerge endlessly within the jianghu, and every single one of them are powerful. Any martial arts in their hands can be unleashed to extraordinary degrees. You can’t afford to become enemies with them for no good reason.”

“How come?” Li Long did not understand. Would their martial arts be powerful just because of their cruelty and mercilessness?

“The essence of martial arts is slaughter.”

However, the person Liu Hong had labelled as a person of misfortune, Li Qingshan, was currently kneeling by a small stream as he vomited. He hurled to a point where tears streaked down his face.

In the end, the third boss was not as tough as he had acted. He told Li Qingshan everything he wanted to know, pleading for death.

After finishing off the third boss with his blade, the red light in his eyes had dimmed. He seemed to have just realised what he had done—he had used an extremely brutal method to torture a person, a living person, but that was nothing. The most terrifying part about it was that he found great joy doing so.

Just what is wrong with me?

The hoof of an ox stepped into the stream, and Li Qingshan raised his head. The black ox stared at him, speaking with a seemingly approving yet mocking tone, “You seem more and more like a demon!”

“So- what?” Li Qingshan rebuked stubbornly. He understood that as he gradually advanced with cultivation, the ability’s influence on his temperament would gradually deepen. Since it was an ability of daemons and demons, it would never be about benevolence or mercy.

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Chapter 40 – Renowned throughout Qingyang

The black ox said, “Do you want to continue? Don’t blame me for not warning you. You really might become a demon or daemon.”

“As long as I have a clear conscience and do whatever I want, I will have no objections or regrets even if I become a daemon or demon,” Li Qingshan said with his head held high. The black ox’s words had instead consolidated his willpower, plucking him out of confusion.

The black ox could not help but reevaluate him once again. Even cultivators with great willpower and determination would feel fear and repulsion when they heard that they had descended into demonic practises and would turn into daemons.

Originally, it was prepared to exhort him patiently, but Li Qingshan was largely unaffected, still persevering with his choice without any sign of wavering. It was truly rare. However, this was good too. If he were the type of person to be troubled by something like this, he was not worth worrying over.

In his former life, Li Qingshan lived in an age of information explosion. As a nerd, he mentally fed off various movies and novels day and night. He understood numerous ideologies and had witnessed the most terrifying and grandest of sights.

Barraged by all of this information, his ability to accept and understand was probably unmatched in this day and age. He would not be trapped by any traditional ideologies. This advantage and edge he possessed was slowly showing itself, playing a role that could not be replaced by any ability or treasure.

No matter how great Li Qingshan’s talent for cultivation was, it would be difficult to pique the black ox’s interest. However, his unique character was completely different. The black ox placed great importance on it. “Come with me!”

An ox and a man advanced through the bends of the pathless mountains.

The black ox did not say where they were going, and Li Qingshan did not ask either. After learning about the Black Wind stronghold’s strength from the third boss, he immediately knew that he was not the Black Wind stronghold’s opponent right now. He had to become even stronger.

After walking for who knows how long, something suddenly sounded out from the forest. As they travelled further, the rumbling sound grew closer and closer, eventually becoming thunderous in the end.

It was an enchanting sight. The space in front of them suddenly opened up. Off a cliff several dozen meters tall flowed a waterfall. It landed in the pool like a jade dragon, kicking up snowflake-like spray. A large whirlpool revolved at the center of the pool constantly; there were many smaller whirlpools around it.

Li Qingshan stood before the waterfall. Even with his mental fortitude, he felt like the wonders of nature had taken his breath away. “Brother ox, what’s this?”

“A waterfall.”

“Of course, I know it’s a waterfall. Why have you brought me here?”

“To cultivate, obviously!”

At this moment, a broken branch fell down the waterfall and was immediately sucked into the whirlpool. It smashed into the rocks in the water heavily and was shattered into fragments. If a person had been sucked in, they would be battered to pieces.

Li Qingshan gasped. “In there?”

The black ox said, “This is the fastest shortcut to attaining the strength of an ox. Whether you want to take it will be completely up to you.”

As soon as it had finished talking, Li Qingshan leapt into the deep pool below the waterfall resolutely. As he fell through the air, he thought about the information that the third boss had told him.

The Black Wind stronghold had around three hundred people overall and a total of seven bosses. Of course, this number was six now. Five of them were third-rate masters, while the first boss, who was known as the Black Bear among the people of jianghu, was a true second-rate master. His name was Xiong Xiangwu, and he could easily take on all the other bosses together.

Li Qingshan’s current martial arts was only at the peak of the third-rate. If he did not use any ambushes or sneak attacks, he could probably take on two bosses at the same time at most. His defeat would be certain if there were three. In such a scenario, he could only flee, so facing the master of the Black Wind stronghold was obviously impossible. He was a colossal figure that Li Qingshan could not defeat right now.

The only good news was that once winter arrived, snow would seal the mountain. If the Black Wind stronghold wanted to engage in any large scale operations, they would have to wait till spring at the very least, which gave him time. He needed to become even stronger in order to stop the Black Wind stronghold and save the Crouching Ox village. He wanted to complete his promise.

Many thoughts flashed through his head. As the water grew closer and closer, Li Qingshan’s valiance was demonstrated. All of his nervousness and fear was immediately pushed aside, and his mind cleared out. He quickly adjusted his falling posture, took in a deep breath, and smashed into the water.

The black ox muttered, “I wanted to tell you to progress gradually and start by meditating under the waterfall.” It immediately experienced a sense of resentment. Xiao An glared at him. The black ox felt slightly unnatural. “Little ghost, don’t look at me like that!”

The violent flow of water battered Li Qingshan. He felt like a tiny boat within a storm, with no control over himself. He could collide into rocks at any time and sink.

Li Qingshan’s reasonable ability to swim was completely useless right now. He used the Ox Demon Forges its Hide to alleviate the pain from the rapids. However, before he could catch his breath, a black mass pressed over.

The raging water pushed him towards a boulder. The huge branch from earlier served as a warning for his potential fate. Even with the Ox Demon Forges its Hide as a means of protection, he could die from all of his bones shattering. Using the body of a human to contend against the forces of nature was simply too difficult.

“The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves!” True qi sank into his dantian, and Li Qingshan’s body seemed to grow heavier, suddenly sinking down. Stamping the tough bottom of the pool, he left behind two deep footprints in the rock.

However, at the bottom, the direction of the flow changed once more, pulling him towards the largest whirlpool. He used everything he had to anchor himself firmly to his location, resisting the flow.

He used up his air very quickly. A feeling of suffocation grasped him firmly. In such rapids, it was impossible for him to swim out. As long as his feet left the bottom, the flow would take him away.

His mind blurred very quickly. Even the deafening rumbling seemed to grow distant. Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation on his chest, and his true qi reacted automatically.

Li Qingshan’s mind cleared up. He saw Xiao An pressing his hands against his chest anxiously, using his yin qi to stimulate the true qi.

In the face of death, the true qi suddenly revolved much faster, rushing to his mouth and nose. The feeling of asphyxiation vanished as the innate true qi replaced his air. Li Qingshan had never expected true qi to have such a wondrous use. He nodded at Xiao An in gratitude before gritting his teeth and unrooting himself, letting the rapid flow take him towards the large whirlpool.

Xiao An circled around the whirlpools for a while before suddenly making up his mind and making his way back up the edge of the pool. He knelt down on the ground and lowered his head at the black ox.

The black ox asked, “You want to help him?”

Xiao An nodded firmly.

Liu Hong and Li Long returned to the Crouching Ox village, comforting the villagers before returning to Qingyang city once more.

The hamlet seemed to recover its peace, but the atmosphere of fear and unease lingered. The Black Wind stronghold weighed on their heads like a terrifying mountain. Many of them wanted to flee from the village.

However, the promise Li Qingshan made before he left gave them all hope. At such an important time, the talent of the village, Li Long, was unable to protect him. The important figure from the city, Liu Hong, had only arrived afterwards as well. Only Li Qingshan stood in front of all of them and protected them alone.

Afterwards, the government soldiers of the legends appeared. They took away the heads of the third boss and the several dozen bandits before returning. Qingyang city was shocked. There was actually someone bold enough to anger the Black Wind stronghold. People on both sides of the jianghu, the righteous and the unrighteous, all learnt a name—Li Qingshan.

In the government office, the fat district magistrate ordered the advisor, “Quick, report these meritorious deeds to the prefect. A group of bandits and ruffians have been destroyed the moment I set foot in Qingyang city. Will there still be anyone bold enough to call me useless? Hang the heads of the bandits on the city walls. Let the citizens of the city understand my power. And, go find that Li Qingshan. I want to thank him in person for saving my life. Also, give him a great piece of wealth!”

The advisor said, “Sir, we definitely should report back to the prefect, but there’s no need to hang up the heads. The Black Wind stronghold should not be trifled with. As for that Li Qingshan, he’s probably done for.”

Indeed, in the eyes of many, Li Qingshan was already a dead man.

Although they praised and admired Li Qingshan’s viciousness and martial arts, no one believed he was the Black Wind stronghold’s opponent. In Qingyang city, Black Bear Xiong Xiangwu was a figure used to scare children so that they would stop crying. He had been infamous for longer than Li Qingshan had been alive. They were on two completely different levels.

The fat district magistrate hesitated. With such a meritorious deed delivered to his door, it was too great of a pity to not show it off. His beady eyes circled around before he suddenly slammed the table. “I’m an official, and they are bandits. Am I supposed to be afraid of them? Pass on my orders to hang all of the heads on the city walls. I would like to see if these local aristocrats and landowners will still be bold enough to not pay taxes towards dealing with the bandits.”

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Chapter 41 – The Path of White Bone and Great Beauty

The advisor could only oblige. The district magistrate’s desire for silver had already surpassed his fear towards the Black Wind stronghold. It was impossible for him to change his mind through persuasion, and the Black Wind stronghold was probably not bold enough to openly kill a government official.

The fat magistrate’s mighty aura suddenly subsided, and he whispered, “It’s not like I killed them. The master of the Black Wind stronghold shouldn’t come looking for trouble with me just over this, right?”

The advisor fiddled with his thin mustache. “They shouldn’t, but just in case, seek help from your younger sister. Get the prefect to send reinforcements.”

The fat magistrate said, “Yep. He might be the prefect, but he’s still my brother-in-law. We’re one family. As long as he sends a single Hawkwolf guard, we won’t need to be afraid of anything.” The official had a fat and coarse appearance, but his younger sister just happened to be as beautiful as a flower. The prefect chose her as a concubine and deeply adored her. The fat magistrate’s status rose with this, and he had pleaded with his sister to pressure the prefect into giving him a government position.

However, the perfect disliked him, so he assigned him to the distant Qingyang city as the district magistrate without much thought. The prefect gave him no chance to abuse his position and sent him away from his sister. It was two birds with one stone.

The advisor thought, How can the Hawkwolf guards be sent over so easily? We would be fine even if we just had some guards from the prefect’s estate. “Then what about Li Qingshan?”

The fat magistrate considered that and replied, “At the end of the day, he’s still my savior. When I see him, I’ll give him some silver and send him off elsewhere. The Clear River prefecture is so large, so where can’t he go?”

In the Drawn Reins village, Huang Binghu received the news. At first, he was surprised, but then he laughed aloud. “Nicely done!” Ever since he drank the spiritual alcohol, his sickliness had vanished. Now, he was filled with vigour and emitted a healthy glow. Not only had his martial arts recovered, but he had even made great progress.

“Hunting chief, he offended the Black Wind stronghold like this, so isn’t it creating trouble for the Drawn Reins village? He carries your Stone Splitter bow. You shouldn’t have given it to him in the first place, and now he has vanished. He has probably fled now.”

Xiao Hei felt unhappy inside. Although he was afraid of seeking revenge for himself after suffering under Li Qingshan’s hands in the market, he still felt some resentment. He was supposed to be one of the best of the best among the younger generation, but Li Qingshan’s arrival had completely overshadowed him. Now that Li Qingshan was receiving so much attention, he felt jealous.

Huang Binghu said, “If the Black Wind stronghold comes knocking, we’ll receive whatever they throw at us. However, he won’t run, much less seek protection from us. I’m just a Sickly Tiger. He’s a true, vicious tiger that has descended from the mountains.”

As a result, ‘Descended Tiger’ became Li Qingshan’s first nickname.

When the several dozen bandit heads were hung up on the city walls, Li Qingshan’s name spread as far as possible.

Large flakes of snow fell from the sky. In the middle of the night, a dark shadow moved across the top of the walls and removed the third boss’ head. Subsequently, they rode back to the Black Wind stronghold hastily on a horse, delivering the head to the master of the stronghold, Xiong Xiangwu.

Xiong Xiangwu was just like his nickname. Not only was he abnormally big, but he was also covered in dense, dark hair. From afar, he seemed like a black bear. It was possible to tell with a single glance that he had been born with natural strength. He stood up and looked around. Whether it be the bosses to his sides or the bandits in the surroundings, no one dared to emit a peep of sound.

Bang! His huge hand that seemed like a bear’s paw slammed down, crushing both the head and the heavy rosewood table to pieces. “This is the fate that the useless suffer! This is also the fate of those who are bold enough to provoke me!”

Wood shrapnel shot into the surroundings, piercing the faces of the bandits nearby, but none of them dared to make a sound.

The second boss waved his folding fan. Surprisingly, he was a middle-aged man dressed like a scholar. Despite the current weather, he only wore a long gown, which demonstrated his dense inner force. “Master of the stronghold, the third boss was heavily injured by a sneak attack using the Stone Splitter bow, which was why that kid managed to defeat him.”

“The Stone Splitter bow? Huang Binghu!” A sliver of vigilance appeared in Xiong Xiangwu’s eyes. “Isn’t he seriously ill?”

“It’s said that he has recovered!” Xiong Xiangwu’s forehead wrinkled together as he sank into his thoughts.

On Bailao peak, Yang Jun asked, “Haven’t you found it yet?”His anger twisted his handsome face. He was a wastrel in the first place, so he never had much patience.

“Young master, I’ve heard of some news recently!” Chi Da said.

“Huang Binghu of the Drawn Reins village has recovered from his illness!”

“How is that possible?” Yang Jun said impatiently.

Chi Da secretly cursed him as useless. “It’s said that his illness is chronic and can only be healed with the spiritual ginseng!”

Yang Jun’s eyes lit up. He was tempted to rush to the Drawn Reins village immediately and get to the bottom of this, but he was not crazy. With a sunken face, he said, “Go ask my father to come here. The spiritual ginseng can’t be digested so easily. Even if he has eaten it, I’ll get him to spit it back out!”

As the world experienced such a clamour, no one noticed that the area behind Li Qingshan’s house had been dug up, and the porcelain jar of white bones had vanished.

As snow fell heavily, the water of the pool became bone-piercingly cold but showed no signs of freezing. Li Qingshan climbed out from the water with blue lips before lying down on the dried grass. He looked at the grey sky beyond the white waterfall, and his breath turned into white mist.

This form of cultivation was basically fatal, but Li Qingshan would only climb out and rest for a bit once all of his strength and true qi had been depleted.

Only after taking a sip of the spiritual alcohol did his body recover its warmth, and the dried up true qi surge again.

A wild beast was roasting on the fire, giving off a heavy fragrance. Xiao An crouched by one side like a professional barbecuer, turning the wooden prong as he sprinkled on the seasoning and cooking alcohol he had brought back from home. He was engrossed in the process.

Seeing Li Qingshan emerge, he sliced off a large chunk of meat with a wave of the hunting blade before delivering the meat to Li Qingshan’s mouth. Only when he watched Li Qingshan wolf it down would he smile.

Li Qingshan’s mouth became all oily before he suddenly became surprised. “You’re not afraid of fire?” Xiao An was afraid of sunlight as well as fire. He was restricted by many things, so it should have been impossible for him to just crouch beside the fire so carelessly. Although today was a gloomy day, Xiao An would still normally hide within the scholar wood tablet, unwilling to come out.

Xiao An faltered, unable to answer.

Li Qingshan smiled. “What ability did you learn from brother ox? It’s not easy to get him to give you something. Why’re you hiding it from me?”

Xiao An hesitated before taking out a porcelain jar from the bushes with difficulty. Li Qingshan opened the lid and a sanguine smell surged froth. Inside was a small, white skeleton, dripping with bright red blood.

The two colors of red and white were extremely dazzling and distinct. It gave off an evil, bloody aura.

Li Qingshan frowned. “What’s this?”

Xiao An was like a child who had done something wrong, standing there silently with his head lowered.

“The Path of White Bone and Great Beauty!” The black ox suddenly appeared and stated those eight words.

“Is this also an ability?”

“Ghosts don’t have a body. They seem to be free, even able to avoid the senses of ordinary people, but when it comes to cultivation, they suffer from natural deficiencies. In addition, they’re afraid of fire and light. They’re suppressed by many techniques.

“But there are ways to deal with this. Absorbing the aura of the living is only the crudest method. As mentioned in the vast buddhist dharma, even great beauty will rot away into white bone upon death. Everyone is made of flesh, skin, and white bone, regardless of appearances. Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. In a single instant, beauty can turn into a skeleton, while white bone can also grow skin and flesh. An eminent monk of buddhism attempted to attain the fruit of bodhisattva, but failed in the end and suffered a backlash of the heavenly tribulation. Filled with an unwillingness to accept this result, demonic thoughts sprang forth. Entering the demonic through buddhism, inverting the powers of dharma, and creating the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, condensing a śarīra of white bone and becoming the White Bone Demon God, calling itself the White Bone Bodhisattva.”

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Chapter 42 – The Strength of an Ox

Li Qingshan breathed in deeply. “The White Bone Bodhisattva! The demonic path again!” Although he was clueless about the greatness of an eminent monk of buddhism who was about to attain the fruits of bodhisattva, he did know that this was probably a supernatural ability that surpassed his imagination.

Li Qingshan said sternly, “This ability is probably difficult to cultivate, right?”

The black ox said, “Yes. An ability like this involves all of life, death, and fortune. Not only does it require the cultivator’s soul to possess extraordinary talent, but it also needs to be refined with the blood of creatures on the brink of death, enduring the scorching of blood and qi to extract tremendous amounts of essence and vitality. He’s just using the blood of beasts as a substitute right now, but the best material for refinement is obviously human blood, particularly blood from practitioners of martial arts with vigorous vitality.”

Li Qingshan shivered inside. Anyone who heard about this cultivation method would only think of it as an evil art from the demonic path. And, in any legend or story, every single person who used human lives for their practice were antagonists, suffering horrible deaths in the end.

He could not help but ask, “Why are you practising this?”

Xiao An paled in fright. As he gradually recovered his intelligence, he too knew that this was a demonic path of extreme evil.

The black ox said, “Obviously, it is to help you. Heh, is this perhaps the superior way to control ghosts?”

Li Qingshan shuddered, unable to say another scolding word. He lowered his head, only able to smile bitterly. “It looks like we’ve both chosen the wrong master. We’re destined to walk to the very end of this demonic path.”

Only with that did Xiao An ease up and smile shyly.

A spotted deer moved through the forest quickly, dodging the chilly wind that tailed it like a shadow, but in the end, a hunting knife slit its throat. Before the spray of blood could even hit the ground, a porcelain jar caught it. As soon as the steaming hot blood fell inside, a chilling gale swept up a set of white bones that soaked in the blood.

The set of white bones sat with its legs crossed like an old, meditating monk. It actually gave off a mysterious aura that merged holiness and evil. If a monk were present, they might have been able to comprehend the buddhist truth of the impermanence of glory and decay, the passage and arrival of life and death.

However, all Li Qingshan saw was Xiao An possessing the bones, refining the blood and qi. The blood and qi rose up like blood-red tongues of flames. Xiao An furrowed his brows as his soul trembled, enduring tremendous pain.

Most abilities of the demonic path took shortcuts, but they would be dangerous, coming at great costs and requiring great risk. The pain from having blood and qi scorch his soul was even worse than having flames burn his body. It required great willpower to remain conscious. Practising this ability was not something ordinary people could do.

Li Qingshan clenched his fists firmly. He only felt like flames were burning in his heart, so scorching that it was unbearable. The pain that Xiao An had experienced from the witch was probably not even a hundredth of what he currently suffered. Li Qingshan wanted to extend his hand to stop him.

The black ox said, “It’s not just for your sake. You have things you want to do, dreams you want to fulfill. He does too. This is his freedom.”

“His dream?”

“Yes. His dream is to help you.” The black ox could not help but begin laughing due to the corniness, but he stopped when he saw how Li Qingshan did not smile at all. “You have no idea just how happy the little ghost was when I agreed. And he’s very happy right now. As long as you can do what you want, you will have no objections or regrets no matter what you do. Isn’t that what you said?”

Only after quite a while was all of the blood and qi refined, fusing with the white bone. The white bone gained a faint but dark red sheen.

Li Qingshan took out the spiritual ginseng and extracted another droplet of juice, dripping it between Xiao An’s eyebrows. Xiao An closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Qingshan turned around and leapt back into the icy-cold water. Only like that could he calm his mind.

The days passed swiftly, and the myriad mountains was reduced to a beautiful, white landscape due to the snow. Li Qingshan entered the water to train everyday, basically only returning when he was covered in wounds. If it were not for his extraordinary physique and the constant nurturing of the spiritual alcohol, his body would have collapsed long ago.

Xiao An constantly hunted wild beasts. In the beginning, he only used the blood of small, herbivorous animals like wild hares and gazelles for his cultivation method, but afterwards, he used carnivorous animals that were very vigorous and fierce in nature like tigers and leopards.

The two of them seemed to be competing, desperately practising their abilities. The taste of the spiritual alcohol made from the spiritual ginseng became fainter and fainter.

This continued for a month. The waterfall continued to surge deafeningly as the whirlpools in the pool spun endlessly. A figure could be barely made out from the largest whirlpool in the centre as it moved through the water.

Against the raging flow of water, as if he were facing countless enemies, Li Qingshan used the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength. Every single move and form he used was exactly the same as it was on land, without the slightest error. Instead, it was filled with a heavy and consolidated strength.

The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves stabilised his body, the Ox Demon Forges its Hide blocked the water flow, and the Ox Demon Butts its Horns attacked the whirlpool.

His true qi also revolved like the whirlpools, forming tiny vertexes. It flowed through his entire body, moving faster and faster.

The water in the pool surged ten times more violently than usual.

Li Qingshan threw a punch.

The water exploded with a thunderous boom as a terrifying aura rose from the water, startling countless birds and beasts.

Xiao An’s heart leapt inside. It was as if some terrifying wild beast had just been unleashed, far more terrifying than any wolf, tiger, or leopard. He stared at the surface of the water. The water surface recovered its calm, while the large whirlpool that never stopped spinning actually vanished.

The black ox smiled with his eyes.

A large figure leapt out from the deep pool, landing on the rocks. Li Qingshan’s bronze body was as sturdy as an ox’s. He seemed like he had been chiseled out of rock. His every muscle was filled with explosive power.

He punched the rock below his feet, causing a thud. It did not sound like flesh colliding with rock; instead, it seemed more like rock against rock.

After a moment of silence, there was cracking. The huge rock that had been worn away by water for countless years cracked open before shattering.

Before the rock shattered, Li Qingshan had already leapt ashore. Looking at his hands, he murmured, “This is the strength of an ox?” He felt like his body possessed endless power. His whole body felt like it had just been remoulded. If he came across a third-rate master like the third boss again, he would only need a single hand to crush him to death. It would be impossible for a third-rate master to even touch a hair on him.

The black ox said, “You’ve finally gained a basic grasp.”

Li Qingshan picked up the Stone Splitter and drew it, bending it into the shape of the full moon. The stiff, metal composite bow was now as soft as an ordinary wooden bow.

Thrum! Thrum! Thrum! Li Qingshan drew the bowstring in succession. He actually unleashed rapid fire arrows with a three stone bow. With his consecutive shots, the bowstring exploded loudly as the vibrating string seemed to be capable of cutting through air.

Li Qingshan felt like he still had remaining strength, so he did not stop. Roaring out, he shot up, down, left, and right—everywhere.

Strength, endless strength. It was as if as long as he wanted to, he could do anything and defeat everyone. Now this was the feeling of an ability. It was not like any martial art that belonged to mortals.

Xiao An watched on from one side in great admiration.

“Xiao An, it’s time to leave the mountains!” Li Qingshan lifted up the porcelain jar and travelled away from the mountains. He was not going to the Black Wind stronghold; he was heading for Qingyang city.

The sound of the waterfall grew further away. The water in the pool surged once more, and the whirlpools spun again.

The two words, Qingyang city, hung high above the city gates. Li Qingshan gazed at it for a while. This was the city he had heard of since he was young, but today was the first time he had come here.

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Chapter 43 – The Vicious Tiger Descends from the Mountains

Li Qingshan did not return to the Crouching Ox village. At least right now, the tiny village would still be safe. The Drawn Reins village was also ruled out. Bringing other people into his problems was not his wish. He did not venture directly to the Black Wind stronghold either, even though he had fallen out with the Black Wind stronghold completely, and they would probably mobilise as soon as spring came to destroy the village where he was born and raised.

He sneered inside. You treat me as an enemy, so why wouldn’t I treat you the same? I’ll definitely kill my way into the Black Wind stronghold and claim the head of the renowned master of the stronghold. I will make him pay for his crimes with a horrible death. Only then would Li Qingshan be delighted.

Why had he worked so hard on his ability? It was precisely to kill all of his enemies. However, before that, he needed to make some preparations.

He did not even have a suitable weapon with him. He would suffer too much if he went bare-handed. Even a lion would use its full strength to catch a rabbit, not to mention that the two hundred bandits of the Black Wind stronghold were not two hundred rabbits. Every single one of them were murderers and extremely fierce.

Once he charged in there, it would no longer be a skirmish of the jianghu. It would almost be a struggle on the battlefield. If he were too cocky and careless, something would be wrong with his head.

The Arsenal of Arms in Qingyang city was an extremely famous armoury. He planned on going there to have a look, but he needed money to buy a weapon. Right now, not only was he penniless, but he did not even have a proper set of clothes.

His clothes were in rags, and his chest was bare, attracting the attention of passing people. Wouldn’t he freeze to death dressed like that in this weather?

Li Qingshan trained within the icy pool on a daily basis, so why would he be afraid of this slight chill?

However, no one treated him like a beggar, as he did not possess the look of someone penniless. Such a look would consist of misery and inferiority, but he exuded great confidence. It was as if he could deal with any problems that came his way with his two hands.

He looked around as he walked, admiring the city of classical design. He did not purposefully try to hide the truth of being a country bumpkin.

A horse carriage suddenly rushed over, and the driver called out as he waved his whip, “Move! Move!” As he watched the pedestrians avoid the carriage frantically, he laughed out complacently.

Looking at the carriage that rode away, everyone was furious, but no one dared to say anything. The carriage belonged to a major aristocrat of Qingyang city. Let alone scaring away people, even if the carriages of the Zhang estate killed someone in a crash, they would just have to cough up some money at most.

The driver suddenly saw a figure in rags. The figure did not seem to hear him, showing no signs of avoiding the carriage. The driver cursed, “Damned beggar, move!” He did not draw the reins, planning to let the carriage run him over.

People called out to warn him as well. Just when the carriage was about to run over the beggar, the beggar twisted to one side and dodged it by a hair’s breadth.

Before the carriage driver could even react, the carriage came to a sudden halt, and he flew off into the air.

The interior of the carriage descended into a mess, and a woman’s scream followed.

The two fine horses pulling the carriage reared up, while the carriage seemed to be under a spell as it froze there. There were creaks, but it did not inch forward at all.

The driver stood up with a kick up. He was actually a practitioner of martial arts as well. Just when he was about to curse aloud, he saw the pedestrians on the two sides of the street staring at the back of the carriage dumbfoundedly.

Li Qingshan grabbed the frame of the carriage with one hand. His feet were deeply rooted in the ground without moving at all. If he did not move, the carriage obviously could not move either.

The driver gulped. What kind of strength was that?

A young man in embroidered robes, reeking of alcohol, leapt out of the carriage. “Laifu, what the hell are you doing?” However, all he saw was Laifu pointing at Li Qingshan, so he cursed, “You damned beggar, get away from my carriage. I’ll cut your hand off if you touch it!” He was drunk, so he missed the fact that Li Qingshan was grabbing his carriage.

“I’m not a beggar. I’m Li Qingshan.” Li Qingshan stated his name, wanting to punish this wastrel and his haughty servant.

“What Li… Qingshan!” The young man’s eyes were lost and filled with disdain, but when he reached the end, his tone suddenly changed. It was as if someone had grabbed him by the throat. He sobered up as well. “W- which Li Qingshan…”

Li Qingshan asked in bewilderment, “You know me?”

The driver wailed, “Young master, i- it’s the Descended Tiger!” His flushed face suddenly became pale-white.

“Descended Tiger? What’s that?” Just as Li Qingshan furrowed his brows, the young master dropped to his knees with a thud. “This young master, no no no, this lowlife has offended you. Please forgive me, young hero!” Afterwards, he removed the money pouch from his waist and offered it up with both hands. “Please take this money as my compensation to you!”

The bystanders had never seen the young master of the Zhang family behave in such a degrading manner. They all looked at one another, but when they heard the two words, ‘Descended Tiger’, they immediately changed the way they looked at Li Qingshan. Their gazes contained fear and admiration.

Li Qingshan weighed the money pouch. There really was quite a lot in there, enough for him to buy a proper set of clothes, eat a filling meal in the best restaurant in the city, and get some proper sleep in an inn.

But it really was strange. It’s not like I planned on killing anyone. I’ll just punch you gently once or twice. I won’t even use strength, so why’re you so afraid?

His instincts told him that all this fear did not originate from the skills he had demonstrated from stopping the carriage with a single hand. However, when he saw how the young master had been frightened out of his wits, he lost interest in teaching the fellow a lesson. He left with the pouch of money.

Only when he saw Li Qingshan walk away did the young master climb to his feet as his legs trembled. He glanced at the intersection in utter fear. That Li Qingshan was actually just standing right in front of him. He was a terrifying figure who had killed several dozen people. No matter how arrogant he was, he would never act up in front of such a person.

His face reddened from the mocking smiles of the bystanders. He turned around and saw the driver hiding to one side, so he became even more infuriated. He went up and kicked the driver. “Hmm? You’re bold enough to hide? Why don’t you keep hiding! So much for driving properly!” Although the driver possessed martial arts, he did not dare to avoid the strikes. He only grovelled and apologised quietly.

Li Qingshan carried the pouch of money and felt even more at ease inside, even though the money had come rather strangely. Suddenly, he remembered that the priority right now was to investigate and understand if anything happened involving the Black Wind stronghold. He just happened to have a fellow villager in Qingyang city who was also a member of the jianghu, so after asking several people, he arrived in front of the Iron Fist school.

At the entrance were two large, bald men who stood like iron towers. Their arms were as thick as the thighs of normal people. They watched people pass by with shining eyes. Even before pedestrians had gotten anywhere close to the entrance, they would downright avoid it, walking on the other side of the street. This was the might of the Iron Fist school.

As they watched a ‘beggar’ in rags arrive at the entrance, one of them said rudely, “Move. This isn’t a place for you to beg!”

The other man stopped his companion and studied Li Qingshan. He mocked, “Kid, you do look like a practitioner of martial arts, so how did you end up like this?” He could see that Li Qingshan’s body was sturdy and unaffected by the cold.

Li Qingshan said, “I’m looking for someone. Please help me pass on a message. His name is Li Long. You can tell him that I’m from the same village as him and that I’m Li Qingshan.”

The two men were originally unconcerned, but they only grew prudent when they heard ‘Li Long’. He was the beloved disciple of the school’s master. Once they heard ‘Li Qingshan’, both of their faces changed drastically. “The Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan!”

Only then did Li Qingshan understand that he was the ‘Descended Tiger’. He grumbled inside, What kind of nickname is that! The people of the jianghu were uncultured. He did not want to be lumped together with those wolves, tigers, and leopards.

“Achoo!” In the Drawn Reins village, Huang Binghu sneezed loudly.

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Chapter 44 – Master of the Dragon’s Gate Sect

Xiao Hei said, “Hunting chief, your health!”

“I’m perfectly fine. Have the people from the Black Wind stronghold and Dragon’s Gate sect left?”

“They still aren’t leaving. They demand to see the hunting chief.”

“Tell them I’m severely ill, so I can’t meet them. If anyone tries to force their way, don’t be kind. Shoot them to death!” Huang Binghu placed both of his hands near the fireplace. People were supposed to hide away for winter in the first place.

“How bold of you, hunting chief! Do you even want to shoot me to death?” A voice suddenly rang out from outside. The door shattered, and a fierce gale rushed in. A scholarly-looking, middle-aged man with a sword on his waist stood at the door. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, and his eyes shone. He was not as gentle as he seemed on the surface.

Huang Binghu did not neglect him, leaping to his feet and clasping his fist. “Sect master Yang, long time no see!”

Within a radius of fifty kilometers, there was only a single person who would call himself a sect master. The person who had just arrived was the sect master of the Dragon’s Gate sect, Yang Anzhi. His Dragon’s Gate sword style was renowned, and his movement technique was masterly. In terms of martial arts alone, he could claim the title of best in Qingyang.

If there were any descendents of wealthy and powerful clans who wanted to learn martial arts, they would all be sent to the Dragon’s Gate sect. With all of these sons and daughters of aristocrats gathered together, it was impossible for them to not swagger about haughtily. At the same time, the sect was an extremely large organisation. Speaking of which, it was basically a part of the righteous faction of the Qingyang jianghu.

Yang Anzhi studied Huang Binghu. “You really have recovered. No wonder you won’t even meet the elders of my sect. I’ll cut to the chase. Where’s the spiritual ginseng?”

Huang Binghu said, “I’ve never seen some spiritual ginseng. Sect master Yang, do you plan on taking my Drawns Reins village lightly because we are fewer in number?” Several dozen hunting bows pointed at Yang Anzhi. All of the hunters of the village had reacted already.

Yang Anzhi said, “If you have your Stone Splitter bow, you might be able to prevent me from leaving. Why don’t you try that, hunting chief Huang?”

Huang Binghu squinted. “What are you trying to say?”

Yang Anzhi said, “Stronghold master Xiong is right outside. Your Stone Splitter bow killed his third boss. Do you plan on taking on both of us?”

Huang Binghu mocked lowly, “To think the mighty leader of the righteous faction of Qingyang would mingle with the most vicious bandit. Don’t you have any sense of shame at all? Oh right, I forgot. You’re no different. All of you harass those weaker than you and oppress the kind-hearted. If I have to compare you two, sect master Yang, it’s you who’s just better at making money!”

Anger flashed across Yang Anzhi’s face. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, but the sound of tightening bowstrings in the surroundings made him stop. He threatened coldly, “Hunting chief Huang, you might not be afraid, but if we really start fighting, how many people from this village do you think will survive?”

Huang Binghu said, “I’ve already eaten the spiritual ginseng. Sect master Yang, no matter what threats you throw at me, you won’t be able to get it.”

Yang Anzhi said, “The spiritual ginseng really is in your hands. Don’t try to fool me. The spiritual ginseng can’t be digested over a short period of time, nor can it be eaten by a single person just like that. You’ve used it for so long already, so it’s time for you to hand it over. For your sake, I might even be able to help you repel the Black Wind stronghold.”

Huang Binghu said, “I’ve said I’ve eaten it, so that means I’ve eaten it. If you don’t believe me, feel free to come and take it!”

Bows were fully drawn and swords were unsheathed. A battle was about to erupt.

Xiao Hei, who stood to one side, suddenly said, “We’ve never seen some spiritual ginseng before. Our hunting chief recovered because he drank some alcohol from Li Qingshan. If you’re looking for someone, go look for him!”

Yang Anzhi’s eyes lit up, while Huang Binghu flew into a rage. He shouted, “Shut your mouth!”

Xiao Hei rebutted, “Hunting chief, he’s just an outsider. He gave you the spiritual alcohol, but he also took away the Stone Splitter bow. We don’t owe him anything, so why must you protect him so desperately? I’m also thinking for the village’s sake!”

Yang Anzhi smiled. “I see. So I’ve wrongly accused brother Huang. No wonder that kid’s martial arts have been advancing so rapidly. Farewell then.” He drifted away with his movement technique. If Li Qingshan were present, he would be able to tell that this person’s movement technique was ten times more skillful than his son Yang Jun and that group of disciples.

Without any orders, the hunters would never simply fire their arrows. Yang Anzhi left behind a message from afar. “Hunting chief Huang truly is skilled in managing your subordinates. The people of the village are constantly considering the bigger picture.”

Huang Binghu’s expression became even uglier. The leader of any organisation would always possess absolute authority. As long as they had made a decision, regardless of whether it be right or wrong, they could not allow their subordinates to ignore it so easily.

“Li Qingshan saved my life. Despite the risks, he took out the spiritual alcohol. That’s because he trusts me. Otherwise, no one would know he possesses the spiritual ginseng. You’ve crossed the line. You’ve made me an ingrate who returns kindness with trouble.”

Xiao Hei knelt down. “Xiao Hei is willing to accept his fate!”

The group of hunters gathered together and tried to persuade Huang Binghu. “Hunting chief, Xiao Hei only did that for the sake of the village!” “After all these days, who knows where Qingshan has fled to. There’s no reason for us to take them on forcefully at all.”

Li Qingshan watched the man scramble away to report back before looking at the man who trembled at the entrance. He sighed. “Am I really that terrifying?”

The man who remained there could only blame his legs for being too slow, letting his companion beat him to it. As for the question about whether he was terrifying or not, the man would never have the bravery to answer it. He only knew that the young man before him had personally killed several dozen mountain bandits. He had even received inside news that he had tortured the infamous third boss of the Black Wind stronghold to death. If he was not terrifying, who was?

One of them was a powerful, fierce-looking man of the jianghu in his thirties, someone that any regular person would fear, while the other was just a fifteen-year-old teenager who still had an air of immaturity about him, without the slightest hint of fierceness.

However, when the former saw the latter, he was like a mouse that had seen a cat. It was perplexing. Li Qingshan suddenly understood that his name had already been established. Although he was starting off with the ‘Descended Tiger’ that was not a particularly pleasant nickname, it possessed sufficient deterrence.

A while later, Li Long came to receive him at the entrance. When he saw Li Qingshan, his heart skipped a beat. He was afraid of making eye contact with him. He thought about the bloody sight in the mountains from a few days ago, and an irrepressible fear rose up from his heart.

He forced a smile. “Oh, i- it’s Qingshan! The master of our school welcomes you!”

Li Qingshan followed him through the door, passing around the screen wall that had ‘martial’ written on it. He passed through the yard and arrived in the training grounds. He saw bare-chested, able-bodied men forming two rows as they welcomed him, but their faces were filled with hostility.

The master of the Iron Fist school, Liu Hong, sat boldly on an armed chair. He asked with a heavy voice, “Are you the Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan?”

Li Qingshan frowned because of both the attempt to strike fear and his nickname. If someone told him right now that as long as he killed a certain person, he would earn a better nickname, he would rush over and finish them off without the slightest hesitation.

“The master is questioning you!” The man closest to Liu Hong yelled out loudly like a gong. He was rippled with muscles and covered in tattoos. His temples bulged slightly, clearly a master who practised both external and internal martial arts.

Li Qingshan estimated that this person was stronger than the third boss, so it was no wonder that he was bold enough to talk to him in such a manner. To be able to dominate in Qingyang city, the Iron Fist school really did have something for show.

Li Long said hurriedly, “Please calm down, first senior brother. Qingshan is from the village. He’s not well-versed in etiquette.” Then he tugged Li Qingshan’s sleeve. “Why don’t you greet my master?”

Li Qingshan clasped his hands carelessly. “Greetings, old hero Liu!” However, he did not show much respect at all. Liu Hong frowned, and the disciples of the Iron Fist school on both sides were angered.

Li Long blamed him for not knowing any better. You’ve already offended the Black Wind stronghold. Only if you get my master to stand by your side and get Huang Binghu of the Drawn Reins village to come forward will you have a change at resolving this. Master is a mighty second-rate master. Isn’t that enough for a bow from you?

“This is our first senior brother. The people of the jianghu call him…” Li Qingshan waved his hand and interrupted. “There’s no need for me to remember the names of small fry.” He was not an impolite person. However, the first senior brother had been rude to him first, so there was no reason for him to be polite.

Li Long paused. The first senior brother’s face immediately reddened as his bones crackled, and he rushed at Li Qingshan in a threatening manner.

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Chapter 45 – A Trade of the Flesh

“Calm down, first senior brother! Calm down!” Li Long attempted to stop his first senior brother, but he grabbed him from the shoulder and tossed him aside like he was trash. He swung his fist at Li Qingshan.

“Stop, Wang Lei!” Liu Hong called out. The first senior brother’s punch stopped firmly before Li Qingshan’s face as he called out, “Master, just let me teach this insolent kid a lesson!”

Li Qingshan found this irritating. “Originally, I only wanted to ask about some matters, but since you’re all so busy, I’ll take my leave.” If there was anything they wanted to say, they could spit it out. What were they putting on an act for?

“Kid, you’ll probably lose your puny life soon.”

As expected, Li Qingshan stopped. “Oh, how come?”

Liu Hong said, “The people of the Black Wind stronghold are searching for you everywhere. You’ll be fine if you hid away, but now that you’ve shown yourself in public, you’re dead for sure.”

Li Qingshan said, “And if this unfolds as it is supposed to, I’m supposed to ask you for guidance as for how I can get out of this alive?”

“As long as you agree to join the Iron Fist school, I have my ways to save your life.” This was Liu Hong’s objective. The Iron Fist school was a gang, not a sect. It did not require all the members of the gang to be disciples of the school. With the talent and strength Li Qingshan had displayed at such a young age, it was enough for any person from the jianghu to be interested.

However, as an experienced member of the jianghu who had made a name for himself a long time ago, Liu Hong would never plead for Li Qingshan to join. Instead, he might attempt to strike fear into Li Qingshan and take him down a notch; this would let him understand the immensity of the world. Then he would offer advice out of good will, so Li Qingshan would understand the glorious future of joining the Iron Fist school. In the end, he would willingly ask to join.

However, Li Qingshan’s rudeness peeved him. “But now, I’ve changed my mind.” Do you really think you’re a big deal just because you’ve killed a few dozen bandits and a boss from the Black Wind stronghold?

Li Qingshan said, “Then that’s fantastic! If there’s nothing else, I’ll be taking my leave first.”

“Stop!” Liu Hong had finally been spurred on. He was fine if he did not act, but when he did, he was like a furious, roaring lion. With just a single step, he landed in front of Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan’s hairs all pricked up like he was under the attention of a ferocious wild beast. He instinctively raised his guard as he smiled gently, “You’re still a member of the jianghu in the end. When words don’t work, you try force.”

“Eat my fist!” Although Liu Hong planned on recruiting Li Qingshan and had no intention of antagonising him, it was impossible for him to not punish a junior after receiving so much disrespect. Perhaps he believed that the first boss of the Black Wind stronghold, Xiong Xiangwu, was the same as the third boss, which was why he was so arrogant. The only way left was for him to witness the absolute difference between a second-rate and a third-rate master.

“Hold on!”

“What, you’re afraid?” Liu Hong growled.

“Immense be master’s martial prowess!” The first senior brother, Wang Lei, called out as he raised his fist. He looked at Li Qingshan with a mocking gaze.

The other people called out as well, “Immense be master’s martial prowess!”

Li Qingshan said, “I once let Li Long throw three punches first!”

Liu Hong squinted as he gave off a dangerous killing aura. “That’s because my useless disciple has poor martial arts. What, do you want to give me a handicap of three punches too?”

“No!” Before Liu Hong’s expression could even ease up, Li Qingshan added, “In consideration of your elderly age, I’ll give you a handicap of ten!”

This is an unforgivable insult! Only those five words appeared in Liu Hong’s heart. Now, he was truly ready to kill. “Then come!”

“Wait!”

“What more do you want?”

“Old hero Liu, you’re a figure of the jianghu who has made a name for yourself a long time ago, so I can’t give you this handicap for nothing!” Li Qingshan considered it. “Ten taels of silver for each punch. That shouldn’t be too expensive!” I have no ill feelings towards you, so if I fight you, I won’t get any benefit, not even a copper coin, even if I win. Instead, I’ll just end up with a strange grievance for no good reason. I just happened to be lacking money for a weapon, so I need to find a way to make some. After thinking long and hard, all I’m skilled in is this ability.

His words completely infuriated Liu Hong. It was basically throwing him in the same pile as street performers of the jianghu. He laughed out of pure anger. “Alright, alright, alright. I’m just afraid your life is insufficient for this exchange!”

Li Long went up in a hurry to stop them. He had witnessed in person Liu Hong punching through rocks with his iron fists. If such strikes landed on a person, wouldn’t they be reduced to meat paste? “Mas-”

But it was already too late. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The flurry of punches was like a charging, armoured horse, swift and heavy. Five punches immediately landed on Li Qingshan. Before Li Long could even utter the second half of ‘master’, the fierce gale from the punches had forced the people nearby to shut their eyes. Someone stepping up and stopping them was obviously impossible.

The punches had come quickly and left quickly as well. Just when everyone was still entranced by the might within the five punches, Liu Hong was already standing with his arms by his side. He sighed gently. “Alas, I’ve killed once again today!”

Li Long was stunned. He could not even utter the words of ‘show mercy’. The first senior brother, Wang Lei, was the first to respond. He called out, “Immense be master’s martial prowess!”

“Fifty taels!” Li Qingshan said suddenly. Liu Hong’s eyes widened, but all he heard was Li Qingshan’s praise. “What heavy punches, just as expected! I almost couldn’t withstand it!”

His complexion remained normal, nowhere close to being unable to withstand it. Instead, he seemed more like a dishonest merchant, tricking his customers into buying more.

Reality was like that as well. After achieving the strength of an ox, the Ox Demon Forges its Hide underwent an overwhelming transformation. The original Ox Demon Forges its Hide only seemed like a tough, external martial art for the body, but now, it truly demonstrated the might of a supernatural ability.

A tough, thin film had formed between his skin and flesh. When the heavy punches that could split rocks landed on his body, it was like someone striking rubber. All of the force had been nullified, and the heavy inner force imbued in the punch would be nullified by true qi once it entered his body. The fists of a second-rate master could no longer harm him.

Just like that, as easy as pie, he had made fifty taels of silver in a second. Even robbing the rich would not result in wealth so quickly! And, unless he had no other choice, he did not want to engage in activities like robbery or thievery.

Though, does this count as engaging in a trade of the flesh?

However, before he could think too much about it, the Iron Lion roared out and lunged over. Just how many years had it been? Ever since he returned to Qingyang city for retirement, he had never been humiliated so much, and it was in front of so many disciples as well.

The heavy fists rained upon Li Qingshan, drowning him completely.

“Eighty, ninty, a hundred! Hmm? You’re still hitting! Three hundred! Five hundred!” Li Qingshan’s voice emerged from the storm-like barrage clearly, constantly triggering Liu Hong. The people of the school had already become dumbfounded from this scene long ago.

Liu Hong started off vigorously, but he had become elderly after all, resulting in a decline in physical strength. Before long, he had run out of breath and was sweating like bullets.

Li Qingshan could not bear to watch much longer. He wanted to say directly, “Uncle, you can’t get through my defences!” However, when he thought of the greater plan of making money, he could only hold back his kindness and let him continue.

From the name of the school alone, the Iron Fist school, Li Qingshan was at an overwhelming advantage. This did not mean that fists were completely inferior to weapons. As a matter of fact, to masters of martial arts, the fist was easier to use with inner force. They could shatter the organs of enemies with a single punch.

Moreover, it could shake up the enemy and be used in close combat. As long as they gained the upper hand, they could easily kill their opponent. However, Liu Hong just happened to be matched up against a freak like Li Qigshan. Liu Hong did not lose because of inferior skills, but because he practised martial arts while Li Qingshan practised a superhuman ability.

Liu Hong huffed and puffed, landing punch after punch powerlessly at Li Qingshan’s chest.

Li Qingshan said, “That should be enough!” He glanced at Li Long.

Li Long supported Liu Hong in a hurry to the armed chair so that he could sit down. Liu Hong continued to stare at Li Qingshan in disbelief. “W- what kind of martial arts do you practise? It’s impossible for even second-rate masters, no, first-rate masters to do that! It’s impossible!”

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Chapter 46 – The Weak are Impolite

I practise an ability that I’ve just gained a grasp over. Li Qingshan could not say that, so he answered politely, “It’s only a form of crude martial arts for enduring beatings. Then… old hero Liu, you punched me over a hundred times earlier, so I’ll just take a thousand taels of silver.”

His tone was much more polite compared to before; it was the politeness of a shopkeeper treating the customer as king.

The others were still submerged in shock. They suspected they were dreaming. “You-” Just when the first senior brother wanted to yell at Li Qingshan, Li Qingshan glanced at him, and he immediately shut up. Instead, he glared at Li Long, Didn’t you say he was a third-rate master?

Li Long also felt embarrassed and aggrieved. Back then, Li Qingshan truly was a third-rate master. Had he been hiding his strength? That was the only explanation now. He would never be able to believe that Li Qingshan had reached his current level from recent hard work.

Liu Hong waved his hand. “Bring the silver!”

“Master!”

“Shut your mouth!”

Liu Hong handed a silver note worth a thousand taels to Li Qingshan. “I was rude earlier. Young… hero Li, please forgive me. Please accept this money as my apology.”

Li Qingshan was stunned. He had never thought that Liu Hong’s tone would change so quickly; he was truly Li Long’s master after all. Originally, Li Qingshan had thought he would become enraged from the humiliation.

“Young hero, you are extraordinary and possess impressive martial arts. If you remain in the underbrush like this, wouldn’t that be a waste of your talent? Why don’t you join my Iron Fist school instead? You won’t be disappointed. As for the Black Wind stronghold, I’ll help you talk to them, and that Black Bear should respect what I say. Why wouldn’t people die when they’re roaming the jianghu? Why is it that only a boss of yours is allowed to kill people? As the saying goes, just mind your own business…”

Liu Hong rambled on. His mighty aura vanished completely, instead making him seem like a benevolent old man who was concerned for a junior.

The disciples had never even imagined that such a side to their master existed. All of their eyes widened.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan realised that he was now on equal footing to Liu Hong. He was even slightly higher than Liu Hong, unlike when he arrived here. At the time, Liu Hong had looked down on him. This change was all due to the impressive ‘martial arts’ he had displayed.

Liu Hong now treated him with courtesy, so he returned the courtesy. “I was the one who was rude earlier, having offended old hero Liu. The money was just a joke of mine, so please take it back!” Only after both of them tried to concede the money to the other did Li Qingshan accept it. Li Qingshan eased up.

“Thank you for old hero’s praise, but I have no plans to join any gang right now. I wasn’t hiding before but training. I will personally eliminate the plague called the Black Wind stronghold! I’m just investigating some information right now.”

Liu Hong said, “The Black Wind stronghold was established all those years ago, so how can they be uprooted so easily? I’m confident that I’m not weaker than the Black Bear, but if I took on the Black Wind stronghold alone, it would be certain doom for me. The battlefield is unlike individual matches. Just my stamina alone is insufficient.”

In the jianghu, not only did people fight with martial arts, but they also fought with influence. He recognised Li Qingshan’s martial prowess, but he was still just a loner with no influence.

Li Qingshan shook his head slightly, “I have my plans.”

Liu Hong could not persuade him otherwise, so he told him everything that had happened recently in the jianghu and near Qingyang city in detail.

Li Qingshan heard that the Black Wind stronghold had gone to make trouble for the Drawn Reins village. “Old hero Liu, I have a request. Please spread this piece of news as much as possible, that I, Li Qingshan, am in Qingyang city, and I haven’t run away. I will be responsible for my own actions. I will never get others involved.”

“Alright. It’s just like the saying, great men are made during their youth. I believe you won’t need to fear anyone if you remain in Qingyang city!” Liu Hong said, “Also, the Dragon’s Gate sect has sent many people to the Drawn Reins village in a bid to see hunting chief Huang. Who knows what they’re trying to do?”

Li Qingshan thought about it and understood it was for the spiritual ginseng, but he also remembered that he had an old debt to settle with the young master of the Dragon’s Gate sect. He could not help but sneer. “Thank you for the advice, old hero. I still have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

Liu Hong sent Li Long to accompany Li Qingshan. Afterwards, his face suddenly changed, and he smashed a wooden training dummy with a punch. “If anyone even says a word about what happened today outside, you better not blame my fists for showing no mercy!”

The first senior brother Wang Lei cried out, “Master!” But he said nothing else.

Liu Hong saw how the other disciples were all aggrieved; they refused to accept this. The disciples all felt ashamed from how Liu Hong transitioned from arrogance to humility.

Liu Hong sighed. “You all feel that I’ve tried to flatter and please him far too much earlier, don’t you? However, we really were rude to him in the first place.”

“But… didn’t you order us disciples to…”

“If he were just a third-rate master, I would never say we were in the wrong even if I killed him just then from how arrogant and rude he was. However, he’s not. We’re the ones who had underestimated him. To treat a master who is even beyond the second-rate like this, we’re the ones who were rude and offended him. This is why slaughter never stops in the jianghu.”

“Isn’t fighting and dying because of such foolishness? In the jianghu, the strong is respected. If I didn’t know that, I wouldn’t still be alive right now. You’ve all had it far too easily by staying in Qingyang city. Even when there are passing masters, I’m the one who comes forward and takes care of them, protecting you. That’s why you don’t even understand such a simple principle.”

If Li Qingshan were present, he would definitely burst out with laughter. As it turned out, the weak would always be impolite. Not only would they be impolite, they would also be unreasonable and powerless as well. Compared to attempting to discern the right from the wrong with everything in the world, this was much simpler and more practical.

However, this was the principle of an experienced member of the jianghu. He could not pride himself as a veteran. He had to yield whenever he needed to. It was exactly because of this principle that he managed to retire peacefully.

The disciples all lowered their heads and accepted the teachings. They also thought about the reason behind Li Qingshan’s renown. With his powerful martial arts and cruel methods, none of them were bold enough to say that they could make it out of this courtyard if they really did fall out.

Liu Hong nodded in satisfaction. He had protected the dignity of the school. In the end, he summarised, “Within the jianghu, no matter how great your martial arts are, you won’t make it far if you always try to act tough and abuse your strength. Someone is going to be out of luck this time.” He spoke ambiguously. Who knows whether he was talking about the Black Wind stronghold or Li Qingshan.

Under Li Long’s lead, Li Qingshan directly arrived at the Arsenal of Arms. With the silver on him, he was filled with confidence as well. As soon as he stepped through the door, he said, “Boss, I want to see the weapons!”

The shopkeeper was chubby and had a fair complexion. He was around forty years in age. He had a shrewd appearance. He glanced at Li Qingshan and then at Li Long, and his face immediately warmed up drastically. He placed down the book of accounts in his hands and clasped them. “So it’s young hero Li from the Iron Fist school. You’ve bought your friend to have a look at the weapons. Everything outside is inferior goods, so come in, come in, come in. Come inside!”

If he wanted to set up a shop and do business here, it was impossible for him to not deal with the local tyrant, the Iron Fist school. Li Long was someone of some prominence in the streets of Qingyang city such that even the shopkeeper had to treat him politely.

Stepping in, various weapons appeared in their sights. Whether it be blades, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle axes, hooks, or tridents, all of them were present. It truly did live up to its name as a large armoury.

“May I ask what kind of weapon this young hero is skilled in? Is it the blade or the sword? We have fine blades and swords of folded steel, fitting to all sizes. If you aren’t satisfied with the selection, you can even have an item be made to order.” As the shopkeeper introduced the weapons to them, he ordered people to bring the superior weapons. Every single one of them gleamed brightly, possessing extraordinary exquisite design.

There was not a single weapon that did not fit men. Li Qingshan was itching to try them as well. These were not ornaments, but real tools for killing on the battlefield. He weighed some in his hands and played around with others before shaking his head in the end. “Do you have any heavier weapons?”

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Chapter 47 – The Four-meter-long Spear

The shopkeeper was stunned. I can tell you’re somewhat a person of the martial arts society, going for something heavy instead of choosing a weapon that suits you. However, he immediately smiled. “We do, we do, we do!” I don’t care about your requests as long as I can sell these weapons.

This was something Li Qingshan had planned and prepared for carefully. If he wanted to destroy the Black Wind stronghold, he would face a true slaughter on the battlefield. The only way for him to unleash his strength to the limit was to use the heaviest and longest weapon available; this would help him overcome the numerical advantage his enemy possessed.

A sturdy assistant brought over a heavy broadblade. The shopkeeper said, “This blade weighs seventeen and a half kilograms and is five feet three inches in length. It is razor sharp. Does this satisfy the young hero?”

Li Qingshan grabbed the hilt and waved it around a few times as it shone with a cold gleam. The broad blade was as light as a feather in his hands. “It’s too light. Give me something heavier.”

The shopkeeper and the assistant were speechless. Just how much strength does he have?

Two assistants brought over an azure dragon halberd¹, and the shopkeeper said, “This halberd weighs thirty-one kilograms and is eight feet two inches in length. Look at that crescent blade. That’s something that can only be forged by skilled, experienced blacksmiths.”

Li Qingshan flicked the tip of the halberd. “This is nice, but it’s too easy to snap. And, isn’t there anything heavier?” He could still remember how the halberd had snapped and flew apart from a single sweep back then.

Of course, that was probably because he did not know how to use a halberd and had used it incorrectly. However, he was not dealing with just a few enemies this time.

The shopkeeper’s eyes widened. For Li Long’s sake, he did not rebuke the fact that the weapon had just been labelled as ‘too easy to snap’. He thought, Just how on earth do you plan on using the weapon!? He wanted to embarrass Li Qingshan, so he waved his hand. “Come with me to the armoury. There’ll definitely be a weapon that you’ll like.”

Li Qingshan became curious as well. He followed the shopkeeper to the back courtyard, passing by many testing grounds to try weapons before arriving at the armoury. The array of weapons in there was even more dazzling, covering an even larger variety. However, what stood out the most was the huge, dark, metal spear at the very centre.

The spear seemed to be forged out of solid metal. The tip and the pole seemed to be one piece. It did not even have a tassel. There was only a tiger’s head sculpted at the connection point, with the tip emerging from its mouth. The weapon gave off a crude but generous sense of domination.

“The spear’s name is the Tyrant’s spear. It’s four meters long and seventy-one kilograms in weight. It’s the heaviest weapon that our store has to offer. If you buy it, young hero, our store will include the Tyrant’s spear style as well.”

“Alright, this one!” Li Qingshan went up and grabbed the Tyrant’s spear. A cold, heavy feeling weighed at the centre of his hand. With a shake of his hand, the spear writhed like a dragon, producing a thrum.

The shopkeeper and assistants were left speechless once again. Being able to lift it was one matter, but being able to use it was another thing altogether. If he could barely move when carrying the weapon, he would just make people laugh. However, since he could shake it, it meant he had the strength to use this spear. Just how much strength was that!

Li Qingshan believed that this weapon suited him the most. With this weapon, he could give the bandits of Black Wind mountain a surprise. He could show them what growing stronger with each inch meant.

However, he had no idea how to use the spear, so he asked, “Where’s the spear manual?”

The shopkeeper said, “Young hero, are you certain about buying it? It’s not cheap. Even if we ignore the efforts of the craftsman, just the amount of metal that went into it…”

Li Long said, “Cut the bullshit. How much is it? Just spit it out? Do you plan on asking for more?”

The shopkeeper extended five fingers, “Since you’ve said that, young hero Li, I’ll just try to make back my cost. Five hundred taels.”

Li Long immediately yelled out, “What!? Five hundred taels!? Have you lost your mind trying to get rich? Is there anyone else who can use this black metal rod apart from my brother? It only gathers dust here, so I think it’s not even worth a hundred taels.”

The two of them began haggling over the price, while Li Qingshan looked around the armoury. A glow caught his attention. In the dark armoury, the faint flow was extremely eye-catching; it was as if the object in question did not want to be buried in the dust.

Li Qingshan looked around at the people but noticed that none of them seemed to have discovered the glow. He knew his eyes were different from other people’s. He walked over as if by accident and arrived before the weapons rack, picking up a wooden box.

Opening the wooden box, he found a delicately crafted small knife lying inside. It was only around a foot in length and was enveloped in a faint, blue light. He asked, “Shopkeeper, how much is this?”

The shopkeeper was surprised. “Impressive insight, young hero. That’s the treasure of our store. A descendent of a great clan in distress left that knife here. It’s extremely sharp. I spent around one hundred or two hundred taels of silver to buy it back then.”

Li Qingshan ‘carelessly’ placed the knife back in the casket and muttered, “It’s a pity it’s too light and small.”

“You can’t say that. Exactly because of its size and weight, the knife is easily hidden. At times of need, it can be used to protect yourself!”

Li Long said, “You’re bullshitting again. Any weapon we pick up will turn out to be the treasure of your store. Just throw in the knife, and I won’t haggle with you over some measly taels.”

“How can I do that!?” The shopkeeper cried out as if he had just been stabbed.

In the end, they settled on four hundred taels for the big and the small, the spear as well as the knife.

The shopkeeper gave the items to them as if he were in pain, but he was delighted inside. He had finally sold off these two pieces of trash. It was obvious with the Tyrant’s spear. It was forged such that absolutely no one could use it, wasting all that metal for nothing. Reforging it would be too much of a pity as well. He had cursed his heart out at the blacksmith in the past because of this spear. All of it would be in vain if it were reforged.

However, the origins of the knife were true. A young man in dejection had come to him with this knife before being sent away for ten taels of silver. However, the shopkeeper soon regretted his purchase. The knife was indeed a good knife that could cut through metal like mud, but it was just too short and small. No wonder he tried to sell it to people for a few dozen taels of silver as a throwing knife.

Li Qingshan had no idea how to use a spear, so the Tyrant’s Spear style was delivered to him very soon. As expected, it was the most ordinary and generic spear manual in the jianghu. However, the names of the moves sounded extremely mighty, like Sweeping Away All and the Tyrant’s Parry.

Li Long only glanced through it before stopping.

Li Qingshan instead read it from the beginning to the end, studying it carefully. He arrived at the testing grounds and practised it move by move.

As it turned out, the spear was much more difficult to use than the blade, but after achieving the strength of an ox, the changes he experienced were not as simple as an increase in strength. His control of his strength and even his understanding of martial arts had deepened.

The weapon was just an extension of the body!

Li Qingshan started off very slowly, but he moved faster and faster before long. The huge spear danced around like a black dragon, coiling around Li Qingshan and kicking up a fierce gale on the testing grounds.

Li long retreated back a distance of several dozen steps. He was left speechless by the might of the spear. Li Qingshan seemed like an unmatched, valiant general, able to fend off thousands on the battlefield alone.

Wherever the spear pointed, cold light shone, bloodiness spread and a ghost-like howl rang out. Although he had not been present when Liu Hong lectured his other disciples, he understood why his master had suddenly shown Li Qingshan respect. At such a young age, he already possessed such startling martial arts. He only read through a spear manual, yet he could already utilise all of it skillfully. Coupled with his extremely vicious and cruel methods, someone like him would definitely become renowned throughout the jianghu as long as he did not die. His future lay beyond the level of second-rate masters. Perhaps he really could become an innate master, a realm he could not imagine.

He had only heard about someone like that from his master, but he had never seen one. Qingyang city was not worthy enough for someone like that to stay, yet in a daze, he seemed to have witnessed the rise of such a person.

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1. The second polearm from the right:

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Chapter 48 – The District Magistrate Returns the Kindness

If Li Qingshan knew what Li Long was thinking, he would definitely praise his insight. Li Qingshan was a proper innate master, except for the fact that the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength did not focus on practising qi. Moreover, he had cultivated for far too short of a period, so he could not show it.

His mind had completely submerged into the spear techniques. With his interest piqued, he flicked his wrist and produced seven blurs that blossomed like flowers. It was extremely dazzling, shaking up and thundering through the air.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan drew back the spear, and the violent gusts of wind stopped with the weapon. His muscles relaxed. “How satisfying!”

He was not a master of the spear, but it was almost impossible for him to rival true masters of the spear who had devoted several decades or even their entire lives to the art; this was regardless of his talent or how mysterious the superhuman ability was.

However, not a single master of the spear was his opponent. As long as it was a clash of weapons, the seventy-one kilogram Tyrant’s spear coupled with his ox demon’s strength could knock away anything. Splitting the webbing between their thumb and index would be a light wound. Shattering their hand or even their entire arm was possible.

This was the reason why he needed to find a heavy weapon; it would allow him to take on ten times as many martial artists with his strength alone.

After trying the spear, Li Qingshan was still not satisfied. “Shopkeeper, I need two more things. I need arrows and armour. You don’t seem to have either of those here.”

He had already decided on unleashing his full advantage. Although the Ox Demon Forges its Hide could block the punches of second-rate masters or even blades and swords from ordinary people, it probably could not stop the weapons of third-rate masters imbued with inner force. Blunt and sharp weapons were two different things in the first place.

With his strength, he would not feel burdened even when equipped with several dozen kilograms of armour, but his defences would increase significantly. Once he charged into the nest of bandits, there would be even less of a reason for him to fear their numbers.

The shopkeeper was troubled. “That’s all military equipment, not regular equipment. Normally, you can’t just buy it. Probably only the city’s arsenal has it.”

Actually, that was not the primary reason. Most of his customers were people of the jianghu. Was there anyone who roamed through the jianghu with a set of cumbersome armour on? As for arrows, there were even fewer people in the jianghu who used bows. Otherwise, with how the business was bent solely on profits and the Arsenal of Arms’ colossal backing, there was not a single thing they would not sell as long as they could make money.

Li Qingshan nodded. “Fine then. That’s all then.”

The shopkeeper said, “Hold on. May I ask for the young hero’s name? Why haven’t I seen you before?”

“I’m Li Qingshan. It’s the first time I’ve come to Qingyang city, so of course you haven’t seen me before.”

“The Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan!” The shopkeeper was startled. How could he not know about this figure who had caused quite the ruckus recently?

Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow and became determined to change the nickname. Then he visited the clothing shop to buy a nice set of clothes before settling down in the best establishment that the city had to offer.

Li Qingshan washed his face and rinsed his mouth before changing into his new clothes. When he emerged again, Li Long praised him. “Nice!”

He had changed into a set of navy warrior’s robes, revealing his wide chest and smaller waist. He seemed extremely valiant. This was just the clothing accentuating his features. After going through the killing and tough training, his aura was elated, like a treasured sword gradually being polished.

His bronze face was still not particularly handsome, but his facial features were chiseled like they were sculpted from rock. He really did match his nickname of Descended Tiger a little, radiating majesty without the slightest tolerance for slander.

At this moment, two guards from the government suddenly visited. They greeted Li Qingshan in a hurry as soon as they saw him. They were even afraid to look at him directly. They said without the slightest trace of the arrogance they would show to normal people. “May we ask if you are young hero Li? Our district magistrate invites you to visit. The carriage and horses have already been prepared.”

Li Qingshan was surprised. He had no idea why the district magistrate had summoned him. Was it to reward him for killing the bandits? He immediately agreed. Since it was the district magistrate, they would have the responsibility of repelling bandits and ushering peace to the people. If he could get the magistrate to give him some people, he would be even more confident.”

He entrusted the Tyrant’s spear to Li Long, and Li Qingshan arrived at the entrance of the government’s office with the guards. A plump figure came to receive him, grabbing Li Qingshan by the hand and studying him all over. He marvelled at him.

Li Qingshan drew back his hand uncomfortably. “Sir, is there a reason why you’re looking for me?”

“My little saviour, have you forgotten about me? In the mountains that day! The tiger!”

Li Qingshan suddenly remembered. “So that was you!”

“I’m Ye Dachuan. I’ve searched for you for a very long time. Please come in!” Ye Dachuan led Li Qingshan to the guest hall behind the government’s office, and his expression changed. “Why are you still strolling through the city?! Run quickly!”

Li Qingshan asked, “Why do I have to run?”

The advisor said, “Do you really not know what’s best for you? The people of the Black Wind mountain are searching for you everywhere. Not only do you not hide your tracks, but you’ve even appeared in Qingyang city. Someone will come knocking tomorrow to take your life.”

As he said that, he shoved a bundle of money and items into his hands. “We’ve already prepared a horse for you outside. You are welcome to rush to the Clear River prefecture. Don’t stop at all along the way. Here’s a letter. Take it to the prefect’s office and just hand it to the district magistrate’s… Ouch!”

Ye Dachuan stepped on the advisor’s foot. “That’s what I was going to say. I’ve already gotten my younger sister to put in a few words to the prefect, so you’ll be guaranteed a wealthy future. No matter how powerful the people of the Black Wind mountain are, they won’t be able to chase you there.” Then he sighed. “Originally, I wanted to keep you around as a sheriff so that you could assist me and quash out some more bandits. Cough cough, the reinforcements that I’ve requested for never arrived. They’ve probably been delayed on the way. It’s just too remote here.”

The advisor thought, The prefect probably wants you dead for good, so why would he send you anyone?

Originally, Li Qingshan found this funny. Ye Dachuan was short and fat, and he wore a large set of official’s robes. He was extremely similar to one of those wretched officials portrayed in novels and operas. Out of all of these characters, the better ones would just be mediocre people, while the worse ones would harass the kind-hearted.

However, seeing how he eagerly paved a path for him, he was touched. No matter how many crafty crooks there were in the world, there were still people who knew to return the favour.

When he came down from the mountains, all he thought of was how to uproot the Black Wind stronghold and slaughter them all before settling the debt of insult with the young master from the Dragon’s Gate sect. The face reflected the mind, so he was teeming with a murderous aura. If this went on, his cruel, murderous side would definitely possess him completely.

However, Li Long constantly assisted him due to being from the same village, while Ye Dachuan earnestly tried to return the kindness of saving his life. Whilst these two people were not particularly good or righteous, both just the most ordinary people among the crowd, it was exactly them that allowed him to see that human nature was not all evil.

Li Qingshan clasped his hands. “Thank you for your kindness, sir Ye. There’s no need for you to refer to me as saviour. You can just call me Qingshan. However, I haven’t come this time to run away!”

“You’re not running?” Ye Dachuan was furious. “Kid, you have no idea how anything works. Do you know how much risk I took on for you to get a government position?”

The advisor tried to persuade him as well. “Yeah, you’d better run quickly!”

Li Qingshan laughed. “I can run, but the Crouching Ox village can’t. And sir Ye, you can’t run either, can you? Since I’m brave enough to remain here, I have some confidence in myself.” He opened the bundle and saw some silver pieces inside. He picked them up and crushed them leisurely.

The eyes of Ye Dachuan and the advisor widened as they watched the silver ooze out from Li Qingshan’s hand like mud. They were not people of the jianghu, so how could they have seen martial arts before? Their evaluation of Li Qingshan immediately climbed even higher. Ye Dachuan hesitated. “With your skills, perhaps you really might be safe as long as you remain in the city. I’ll go see a few other people for your sake. Let’s hope the Black Wind bandits won’t attack the city.” He wanted Li Qingshan to stay very much. Once that happened, if any aristocrat dared to look down on him, he could send Li Qingshan to beat them up. By then, he could ask for whatever amounts of silver he wanted.

Li Qingshan said, “Sir, you said you want me to be the sheriff?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Ye Dachuan smiled from ear to ear. He had already begun imagining the power and prestige he would possess in the future when he ran about freely with Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan said, “Then I must request sir to gather men and horses and open the arsenal. I’m willing to face the Black Wind stronghold and eliminate the greatest threat to Qingyang for you, sir.”

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Chapter 49 – In the Qingyang Restaurant

Li Qingshan’s ambitions completely stunned Ye Dachuan. He had always wanted to protect Li Qingshan’s life from the threat of the Black Wind stronghold, and it would be the best if he could use Li Qingshan. However, he never considered mounting the offence and provoking the Black Wind stronghold. He wanted to persuade him to stop dreaming. The money I collect isn’t for subduing any bandits but for filling my own pockets. When the time comes, we just need to frighten those aristocrats and accept the money. Everyone will get a share.

However, he saw the determination in Li Qingshan’s eyes. Although he still had a hint of immaturity that had yet to fade away, he was filled with high-spirited, self-confident righteousness. As a result, Ye Dachuan was unable to bring himself to try and dissuade him. The youth possessed the power to spur others on.

Ye Dachuan hesitated and struggled for quite a long while before suddenly slamming the table. “Alright! If you really have the confidence, I’ll take this gamble with you!”

“Sir, you mustn’t! We can’t afford to offend any of these people or places!” The advisor rushed up.

Ye Dachuan said, “Move. I have some guts in me as well. I’ll offend exactly what I can’t offend!” He seemed to possess righteous ardour, but he thought rapidly in his head, Li Qingshan managed to kill twenty or thirty people and a boss from the Black Wind stronghold alone. The Black Wind stronghold has around two hundred people, so that’s around ten times the quantity. Am I supposed to recruit a hundred and sixty or seventy people?

It had to be mentioned that this official Ye, who had neither wandered through the jianghu nor fought wars, was really quite naive. However, once a person had been carried away by their thoughts, they could no longer care.

If the Black Wind stronghold was destroyed, just who would still be bold enough to call him a country bumpkin who only managed to get his position through nepotism? Just who would still ignore his demands for money? And afterwards, he could get his younger sister to pressure the prefect a little. Perhaps he could get promoted, leaving this god forsaken place. And most importantly, the Black Wind stronghold had pillaged and plundered this region for all these years, so they must have accumulated quite a lot of wealth. Maybe they had five thousand, no, ten thousand taels of silver.

Thinking about the shining, white piles of silver, magistrate Ye was unable to maintain his appearance of righteous ardour any longer. He almost drooled.

Despite dusk nearing, the largest and finest establishment in Qingyang city, the Qingyang restaurant, was still blazing with lanterns. All of the tables of luxurious delicacies, over a dozen of them, had left Ye Dachuan feeling pained. He had invited the various important figures of the city. It was a banquet of the aristocrats and the wealthy.

Ye Dachuan had done this under the notion of no sacrifices, no success. He had really paid the price this time. Of course, the main reason for this was because no matter what he said, the owner of the establishment would continue to smile but refuse to take credit.

As a result, he sat in the host’s seat, and his expression was slightly ugly. Li Qinghan stood beside him like a guard, willingly standing out. He saw Ye Dachuan’s slightly twisted face, and he smiled. “Sir, there’s no need to be pained over the money. Haven’t I covered it for you already?”

Originally, official Ye really was unable to take out that much money in the end, so it was Li Qingshan who paid. Li Qingshan was not a petty person. As long as he was treated politely and with sincerity, he was easier to get along with than anyone else. He had a sense of extravagance that treasured moral uprightness over wealth.

However, if someone acted haughtily, trying to do something like strike fear in him and take him down a notch, then they had better forgive him for his bad temper.

Ye Dachuan said awkwardly, “Once I collect money, I’ll definitely pay you back!” As the district magistrate, he had been shamed like this. He was only afraid of this powerful subordinate mocking him.

Li Qingshan waved his hand. “This is you helping me as well, so don’t mention the money ever again.”

The advisor stood downstairs, welcoming the aristocrats as the wooden stairs constantly drummed. Every person would come up and greet Ye Dachuan, referring to him politely as “Sir Ye.” Afterwards, they would glance at Li Qingshan deeply and clasp their hands. “You must be the Descended Tiger who cut down several dozen mountain bandits. Your name has been reverberating like thunder, like thunder I say!”

They were all extremely well-informed, so they knew very well who the person of focus would be today. It would not be Ye Dachuan, who basically had no means or foundations about him, but the young man who had killed several dozen mountain bandits.

They were not afraid of Ye Dachuan. They were not even afraid of Li Qingshan. However, once they combined their influence and power together, they would be a rather troublesome combination to deal with. Perhaps it would never be like the past again, where they all looked down on district magistrate.

Heavy footsteps rang through the building. Before the person had even arrived, the advisor had already called out loudly from below, “Old hero Liu of the Iron Fist school has arrived!” Everyone’s gazes gathered at the stairway. As a matter of fact, there were even quite a few people who stood up. The amount of respect they showed could not be compared to what they showed to an empty husk of a district magistrate like Ye Dachuan.

The Iron Lion Liu Hong made his way up the stairs with his two disciples, Wang Lei and Li Long. He truly was proud like a lion.

The aristocrats all gathered over. Depending on their age and status, they constantly referred to him as ‘old hero Liu’ or ‘brother Liu’. Even his two disciples beside him were rained with praises.

Quite a few aristocrats did that while glancing at Li Qingshan as if they were saying. We know the master of the Iron Fist school. You might be fierce and tough, but even you can’t be unruly in his presence! In their eyes, Li Qingshan was powerful, but a great difference still existed between him and someone who had made a name for himself a long time ago within the jianghu like Liu Hong; this was what they relied on.

Li Qingshan had never thought the important figures Ye Dachuan wanted to introduce to him would include Liu Hong. However, he realised with just some thought that even if no one took Ye Dachuan seriously, they still had to hold a welcoming ceremony as important figures of the city to receive him as the new district magistrate. Otherwise, they would be looking down on the prefect’s decision. The largest local power obviously could not be absent from an event like this.

Li Qingshan saw the awkwardness on Ye Dachuan’s face as he hesitated over whether to stand up or not. Li Qingshan placed his hand on his shoulder and got him to sit still.

At this moment, a shocking sight happened. Liu Hong broke away from the group and arrived in front of Li Qingshan. He smiled. “Young hero Li, we meet again.” His attitude was so warm that it made them wonder whether he was still the Iron Lion they knew.

Wang Lei also bowed awkwardly, no longer able to make trouble for this person who was younger than him.

Ye Dachuan was just about to introduce Li Qingshan. Seeing this, he was surprised as well. “You know each other?”

Liu Hong patted Li Long’s shoulder. “He’s from the same village as my youngest disciple. They’ve been acquainted since young. Today in Qingyang city, it was even Li Long who took him around to purchase what he’s wearing right now.” Ever since he arrived on the floor, he immediately saw Li Qingshan. He saw how he was dressed in navy warrior’s robes, standing with his arms crossed by the window. He towered like a lone pine tree on a cliff, distinguishing himself from the common crowd and drawing attention. Even with his animosity towards Li Qingshan, he could not help but have his eyes light up as he secretly praised, What a valiant youth. The good men of jianghu did not particularly like men who were too handsome. Instead, Li Qingshan’s looks formed the standard for them.

Li Long could be considered as naturally endowed. He had been chosen by Liu Hong as his final disciple from the first glance, where he felt a great liking towards him. However, compared to Li Qingshan, he was like mugwort to a pine tree. Just which sharp-eyed, insightful person unearthed this fine piece of jade? Why hadn’t I seen him when I visited the Crouching Ox village before?

Never had he thought that when he accepted Li Long as his disciple, Li Qingshan was still wrapped up in swaddling blankets. Li Qingshan had changed drastically due to the supernatural ability, but his talent was never bad in the first place. Coupled with his knowledge that came with living two lives, he would have been chosen by someone a long time ago, and he would have quite the achievement if he had not reincarnated in the wrong place and was born somewhere as remote as the Crouching Ox village.

Although great men were not afraid of being born into lowly statuses, no one could deny the importance of birth status.

The hearts of the aristocrats immediately sunk completely. Originally, they wanted to rely on Liu Hong’s power and influence to deal with Li Qingshan, but they never thought that Liu Hong would be even more familiar with Li Qingshan than them, vaguely treating him as someone on equal footing. When they looked at Li Qingshan again, there was much more caution in their gazes.

However, Ye Dachuan was utterly overjoyed. “So the guards had received him from you. Qingshan once saved me from a tiger’s mouth, and I finally found him today. I’ve asked him to become the sheriff.”

Originally, Liu Hong found this strange as well. Why would Li Qingshan be in contact with district magistrate Ye as soon as he had arrived in Qingyang city? Only now did he understand. “So Qingshan is the young hero the district magistrate mentioned, who chased a tiger to its

death. When sir Ye recruits people of wisdom and valour, age doesn’t bother him. It’ll only be a matter of time before you make a career out of Qingyang city.”

Li Qingshan was neither humble nor pushy. “You are too kind, old hero Liu. I just want to borrow sir Ye’s power and do some things for the people of Qingyang. I want to eliminate a cancer of the city.”

The corner of Liu Hong’s eye leapt. He only chuckled, adding no more to the conversation.

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Chapter 50 – The Dragon’s Gate Sect Attacks

It was time, and all the guests were present. Ye Dachuan stood up to make a toast, starting off with a bunch of civilities like ‘It is my great honour for all of you to be here’. Afterwards, he cut to the chase and said with a face full of fury and sorrow,

“I’ve invited you all here today regarding an important matter that relates to the survival of our Qingyang city. That’s right, it’s the cancerous tumour of the Black Wind stronghold. The Black Wind bandits are vicious and have behaved outrageously, committing so many sins that cannot be forgiven. They’ve stolen so much money… Sigh, and who knows how many people they’ve killed.”

He did feel absolutely livid over the fact that these bandits were richer than him, the district magistrate. The advisor kicked him from underneath the table, so he quickly moved on after a gentle cough.

“Now, they want to massacre the Crouching Ox village. As the official of Qingyang city, if I tolerate this, they’ll basically be free to do whatever they want. You must all have heard about the person beside me, the Descended Tiger! Li Qingshan!”

He placed extra stress on the renowned nickname of Descended Tiger, which made the corner of Li Qingshan’s eye twitch.

“This young hero is also my sheriff of the entire Qingyang city now. Not only did he personally kill the third boss and several dozen bandits from the Black Wind stronghold, but he also wants to destroy the entire nest of bandits as well. I implore you all to contribute money and effort for this matter. Only then will it not go to waste, and only then can you live up to the kindness the world has shown to you.” With that, he drank the entire cup of alcohol.

Qingyang did not have a single soldier or general that the district magistrate could order around. Even the guards of the government office were the old, weak, sick, and disabled trying to earn a living. However, these larger clans all had huge courtyards wrapped in tall walls; they also had many guards. As a result, the peace of Qingyang city was actually mostly maintained by local gangs and organisations like the Iron Fist school. If he wanted to recruit people, he could only borrow people from these aristocrats. As long as every household sent four or five people, they would basically reach the number that magistrate Ye had been expecting.

However, none of the aristocrats could drink to that. They all looked at one another. The magistrate was going to be serious this time?!

It was normal for them to ask for money. Were there any previous magistrates who did not ask for money? However, asking for people was not normal.

Apart from the first few magistrates who would take a group of people into the mountains after receiving the money to put up an act, the later magistrates did not even try to put up an act. They would only say that the time was not right. As for when the time was right, only the heavens would know.

The restaurant was in a state of uproar. The aristocrats did not even want to give him money, let alone people. They would be the ones who would have to spend money to appease the injured and the dead. They would offend the Black Wind stronghold as well.

None of them knew where the Crouching Ox village was. What did its destruction have to do with them? It was not like the Black Wind stronghold was coming for them. Why would the deaths of other people affect them?

A seemingly influential aristocrat in his forties or fifties said, “Sir Ye, We all understand your care and concern for your people. We can’t just watch on either. We need to contribute as well. However, getting us to send you people will be impossible. Even if we agree, the guards won’t oblige.”

He explained his stance very indirectly. Considering how you have power right now, we can gather some money for you to make a gesture. But once you take the money, just stay put obediently. Don’t make trouble for us.

I’m actually going to receive money! Ye Dachuan found this rather difficult to believe in. He really wanted to pinch his thigh and see whether he was dreaming or not. Ever since he became the district magistrate, he had been asking around everywhere, but no one took him seriously. He had not even received a single tael of silver.

Success would always come suddenly. Ye Dachuan calmed himself down and glanced at Li Qingshan. He began to consider whether it was time to just accept this and pull back.

Li Qingshan frowned, but he could not blame these aristocrats for their selfishness. Ordinary people were all like that. Coupled with the actions of the previous district magistrates, it was already surprising that they were willing to contribute money. Since he could not borrow their strength, there was no need to force them. He said, “Then I must thank you all…”

“Father, don’t give him money!” A young man stormed up the stairs loudly, glaring at Li Qingshan viciously.

Li Qingshan immediately remembered him. He was the young man who had been drifting in the carriage before kneeling and giving his pouch of money to him. Why had he suddenly become so brave? Was he relying on the adults here?

“Don’t mess around. This isn’t a place you can come. Go back down!” A middle-aged aristocrat scolded.

The young man did not yield. Instead, he said with a face of arrogance and complacence. “My senior brothers have come!”

“The people of the Dragon’s Gate sect have come!” Another aristocrat called out in pure surprise and delight.

“My son learns martial arts there!”

“Yeah, so does mine!”

The aristocrats all beamed with joy as they whispered to one another. They were rejoicing over the fact that someone would stand up for them, and they would not have to pay the money.

However, Li Qingshan’s face suddenly became frigid. The insults he experienced on the mountain path that day crossed his head again.

A group of people rushed up the twisting stairs. There were young adults as well as teenagers, every single one of them in white clothes and carrying swords. They all gathered together. All of their faces were supercilious, truly giving off an austere aura.

Their leader was the young master of the Dragon’s Gate sect, Yang Jun.

“Sir district magistrate, you’ve invited everyone, so why have you only excluded the Dragon’s Gate sect? Do you look down on us?” Yang Jun’s gaze circled around the room. He nodded at Liu Hong as soon as he saw him, which barely formed as a greeting. When he saw Li Qingshan, his eyes lit up instead, before erupting with fury. “You really are here! You’ve really made us search!”

“You’ve been looking for me?” Li Qingshan instead found this perplexing. From Yang Jun’s expression, it seemed like he had deeply offended him. However, since Yang Jun had come knocking today, he would never just let him go so easily. It was a pity the great spear was not on him. Otherwise, who knows how many would be injured or dead from a sweep of the weapon.

“I only regret that I didn’t just cut you down back then. Today, I’ll make you spit out everything you’ve eaten.” Yang Jun looked at Li Qingshan like he was his arch nemesis. After learning that the spiritual ginseng had been taken away by Li Qingshan, he immediately burst out in anger.

The spiritual ginseng had brushed past him, ending up with this bumpkin instead. Although it was impossible to digest the spiritual ginseng that easily, a great amount of its potency would be depleted after such a long amount of time. Otherwise, how was this bumpkin supposed to possess enough strength to kill the third boss of the Black Wind stronghold? Moreover, the spiritual ginseng belonged to him in the first place.

In his eyes, Li Qingshan was an extremely despicable and wretched thief, stealing what belonged to him, so why wouldn’t he hate him to the very core? He wanted to cut Li Qingshan to pieces.

Ye Dachuan stood up in a hurry. “Young hero Yang, calm down. We can talk through this. Qingshan is my sheriff, so why must you confront him with such hostility?” He could tell that the Dragon’s Gate sect had come looking for trouble. Every single one of them were armed, so his confidence immediately dispersed. There was a saying that it was difficult to fight a battle outnumbered. If a stray sword came his way, how was Li Qingshan supposed to block it, no matter how great his martial arts were?

Yang Jun said with a sunken face, “Sir magistrate, this person has stolen an extremely important item to our Dragon’s Gate sect. We’ve come to apprehend him today, so please don’t get in the way. You have to be careful, considering the fact that swords can cut anyone.” Without even waiting for his reply, Yan Jun ordered, “Seize him!” He was as haughty as they came. Then he smiled viciously. “Don’t kill him. I will slowly interrogate him for its whereabouts.” Over a dozen people rushed over, and the aristocrats dodged to the sides quickly, while the magistrate and the advisor fled. Around the large, round table, only Liu Hong remained seated, leisurely drinking his alcohol.

Out of everyone present, only Liu Hong understood Li Qingshan’s strength. As for the relationship between the Iron Fist school and the Dragon’s Gate sect, Yang Jun’s attitude towards him had revealed quite a bit. The Iron Fist school mingled with the lower classes, freely accepting disciples from anywhere. However, the Dragon’s Gate sect mingled with the higher classes. All of their disciples came from wealthy and influential families.

They were not on utterly bad terms, but neither of them had ever found the other pleasing to the eyes. As a result, Liu Hong would never say anything as a warning. As a matter of fact, he could only wish that some more people from the Dragon’s Gate sect died here, that haughty Yang Jun who disrespected him in particular. However, he was also guessing at what this ‘important item’ was. He seemed to have heard of some things before.

At the very front was the tall, skinny swordsman with an unhealthy complexion. His gaze towards Li Qingshan was filled with resentment and hostility. He was Chi Da. After Li Qingshan destroyed his sword on the mountain path, he had been greatly ashamed among his fellow disciples. He had also been punished by the sect master after he returned, so he utterly hated Li Qingshan. He was eager to cut off Li Qingshan’s hand.

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Chapter 51 – Sweeping up the Dragon’s Gate Sect

Li Qingshan only stood tall and alone near the window; it was as if he did not see the disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect that rushed towards him.

The Dragon’s Gate sect knows I have the spiritual ginseng, so who told them? Huang Binghu? So much for saving your life.

The fury from betrayal slowly rose up through him, but his mouth curled gradually instead, revealing his pale-white teeth. Liu Hong’s heart leapt up when he saw this from one side. What heavy killing aura!

Swoosh! He raised a foot and kicked the heavy, square table in front of him. The table was both wide and huge, able to seat ten people at the very least. It was made from jujube wood and was at least a hundred kilograms in weight. He had sent it flying with a single kick, and the table smashed into the disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect extremely swiftly and forcefully.

Chi Da charged at the front. He had never even considered such an attack, so he could only watch on in shock as the table smashed into him. His reaction was fast, immediately abandoning his sword and launching his hands at the table with all the inner force that his body could muster.

A futile effort! Li Qingshan sneered.

Chi Da’s arms snapped at the same time, while his chest caved in from the collision. Blood spurted out from his mouth violently as the cracking of bones rang out at the same time.

The table did not stop with that. It took seven or eight disciples with it before ramming through the railing and falling down the stairs. A great bang followed.

There were customers below. Originally, they had been wondering who’s luck had run out today when they saw the disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect rush up the stairs in a threatening manner, brimming with a murderous aura. All of them stuck their heads over to watch the show, but suddenly, they were met with a table and seven or eight disciples falling down the stairs. They all scrambled away as they screamed.

Only when the table hit the ground did they gather over, still shaken. They saw Chi Da winded and dead, while the other disciples only managed to survive because Chi Da had blocked some of the force for them. However, their bones were still broken and fractured, causing them to moan in pain endlessly.

Every single customer was stunned. When had they ever seen the disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect in such a state? Just who was upstairs?

For some reason, Li Qingshan thought of bowling. The disciples in their white clothes were just like bowling pins. It was just a pity that he did not knock them all down.

The remaining five or six disciples had not been ‘knocked down’ due to being further out to the sides. However, they were drenched in cold sweat from fright. They stood there blankly, actually clueless as to how to react. These sons of wealthy clans practised martial arts, but they had never truly been in battle.

Everything had happened in a heartbeat such that almost no one managed to react. In just a split second, the situation had been reversed. The Dragon’s Gate sect that had been so mighty earlier had lost half of their people in the blink of an eye.

Only Liu Hong managed to see Li Qingshan’s actions clearly. He thought to himself sternly that if it were him instead, would he be able to block or avoid it? However, the conclusion he reached was worrying, which made him furrow his brows more and deepen his sneer. He seemed to have recovered a lot of the pride that he had lost to Li Qingshan earlier today.

Li Qingshan ignored the others and strode towards Yang Jun.

Yang Jun currently laid on the ground. Li Qingshan had kicked the table at him earlier, but with the disciples of the sect in the way, he had enough time to react. He dove onto the ground head-first in a hurry, avoiding the disaster.

Even now, he struggled to believe that it was all real. The people he had brought with him were all powerful disciples within the sect. There were three-third rate masters among them, and the others were all impressive adepts at martial arts, yet over half of them were dead or incapcitated from a single move. His public attempt to seize and punish Li Qingshan had instead become a huge joke.

Watching Li Qingshan approach him, he suddenly remembered the several dozen bandits that died at Li Qingshan’s hands. He remembered the terrifying nickname of the person before him and how his martial arts were nowhere near sufficient. He drew his sword madly. “Kill him!”

A sword stabbed towards Li Qingshan. At the same time, five other swords flashed with cold light and stabbed towards him from the front, the back, and the two sides. The stunned disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect managed to return to their senses as well. They were seniors and juniors who spent most of their time together training. They did not have much experience in actual battle, but they worked together rather well.

The attacks moved at exactly the same speed, enveloping Li Qingshan in a net of swords.

“Be careful of the sword formation!” Li Long warned loudly, but it was already too late. The six swords stabbed Li Qingshan at the same time.

The owner of each sword was both surprised and delighted as if they had never imagined success would be so easy. The sword formation of our Dragon’s Gate sect really is extraordinary!

An expression of either mockery or pity appeared on Liu Hong’s face. You’re too soft. You’re far too inexperienced with battles in the jianghu. You were guaranteed victory, yet you gave your opponent the perfect opportunity to surround and attack you. You’ve dug your own grave.

However, with the death of every young genius, aside from pity, experienced members of the jianghu like him would always feel some ease. They would always be tempted to say complacently, Look, the older ones are still tougher. The strongest might not necessarily survive till the very end.

The swords pierced an inch into Li Qingshan’s skin before their advance stopped. The delighted expressions of the swordsmen were replaced with shock. They pushed as hard as they could, but it only bent their tough swords into curves.

Liu Hong was alarmed. Don’t tell me his external martial arts for toughness has already reached a level where he’s impenetrable to weapons. Not to mention that fine, steel swords imbued with inner force could not be compared to regular weapons. The surprises this young man gave him were far too much.

Li Qingshan said slowly, “No wonder people say it’s difficult to fight a battle outnumbered. This combination attack is no weaker than a full-powered strike from an unmatched master.” A demonic, red light that was indiscernible with the naked eye flowed through his pupils. “Though, how are you supposed to harm me with such weak, powerless swords?!”

His body exuded true qi, and the swords all shattered. All of the swordsmen were knocked away as they spat out blood. Only faint, white marks were left behind on Li Qingshan’s skin.

Yang Jun felt extremely turbulent true qi rush into his body. The inner force that he had gathered after all these years of bitter training was actually completely useless. The true qi rampaged through his body, ripping apart his meridians.

Just when he was about to fall down the stairs, there was a flash, and a figure arrived behind him. With a great wave of his hand, Yang Jun landed on the ground safely.

Li Qingshan became slightly stern and vigilant. He saw the person’s movements, but he was unable to physically follow his movements techniques. While his defences were utterly startling, his speed was his weakest link.

Yang Anzhi felt Yang Jun’s pulse, and his face became frosty. Yang Jun’s meridians were a mess. His martial arts had been crippled.

Yang Jun called out, “Father.” before fainting. Yang Anzhi looked at Li Qingshan, and his eyes shone with terrifying killing intent. He no longer seemed anything like a scholar. His heart was overwhelmed with hatred and regret. He had arrived at the restaurant a long time ago, but he thought Yang Jun and his group of disciples would be sufficient to seize Li Qingshan.

If he saw Liu Hong, it would be a rather awkward position for him to be in, so he remained hidden in the restaurant the entire time, ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

However, he had never thought everything would happen so quickly. Ever since Li Qingshan sent the table flying and cleared out half of the disciples there, he had wanted to interfere, but he then saw Li Qingshan fall into the sword formation, which would guarantee his fate.

Even Liu Hong, someone who had witnessed the power of Li Qingshan’s ‘tough, external martial arts’, thought Li Qingshan would be dead for sure, let alone him. As a result, Yang Anzhi stopped himself, and it all became too late with that halt.

Liu Hong chuckled. “Brother Yang, long time no see. Why have your people suddenly made such a great disturbance? Just what is it all for?” Li Qingshan could tell that Yang Anzhi and Yang Jun’s appearances were slightly similar. Followed by what Liu Hong said, he deduced who this person was. He was the master of the Dragon’s Gate sect, the greatest among the martial arts society of Qingyang.

Yang Anzhi had roamed through the jianghu for many years after all, so he had an unswerving will. He immediately let go of his son, without even looking at Liu Hong, speaking to Li Qingshan, “Originally, I wanted to just persuade you to hand it over obediently. I had no plans to hurt you, but I’ve changed my mind now. My son has never done anything to you, so why have you been so cruel to him?” Towards the end, he could no longer hold in his raging fury. His face twisted viciously.

Li Qingshan laughed instead when he heard this. “No plans to hurt me? Never done anything to me?” If he had been a little weaker, who knows how much torture and humiliation he would have gone through if he ended up in Yang Jun’s hands. He would probably end up losing his life as well.

Back on the mountain path, the condescending threats and humiliation from the powerful shouldn’t be considered as a grievance, right? Yang Jun might have been extremely wronged too. Yeah, I only said some things to you. It’s not like I actually cut off your hand.

“I just want to ask you, who told you about this? Forget it, I will ask him myself! With a father like you who doesn’t even know the difference between right and wrong, it’s no wonder your son and your disciples have turned out like this. I’ll kill you today and uproot these seeds of misfortune! Before I sweep up the Black Wind stronghold, I’ll sacrifice you as a prayer for my victory!” The red light in Li Qingshan’s eyes deepened.

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Chapter 52 – The Might of a Spiritual Artifact

The Dragon’s Gate sect was arrogant and overbearing, but in the eyes of the people right now, Li Qingshan was ten times more arrogant and overbearing than them. He had tried to determine the fates of two major organisations of the jianghu that had resided around Qingyang in a single sentence.

However, there was no longer any anger on Yang Anzhi’s face anymore. He had recovered the calmness and rationality that belonged to a swordsman. With his instincts, he had discerned Li Qingshan as one of the few, powerful enemies he would have in his life.

However, he had absolute confidence in himself. His agile, graceful movement technique was the bane of Li Qingshan’s tough, external martial arts, just like how Li Qingshan was the bane of Liu Hong’s iron fists. No matter how much strength he had, it would all be useless if he could not land a blow. Li Qingshan could block the swords of regular disciples, but he could not block the sword of a mighty second-rate master like him.

Li Qingshan recognised this as well, and he could clearly sense that Yang Anzhi’s sword was not like the fine, steel swords wielded by the regular disciples. Against an opponent like that, it was impossible for him to flee. He could only confront them head-on.

As the two of them faced off against one another, the restaurant suddenly felt quiet. The killing aura was suffocating.

Clang!

Yang Anzhi drew his sword from his sheathe. It shone coldly as it swept towards Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan’s eyes narrowed. The sword actually possessed a dim glow as well, just like the knife he had purchased today.

People had names and so did swords. This was a renowned sword that everyone knew about within Qingyang city.

The Soaring Dragon sword, the treasured swords passed down through the Dragon’s Gate sect. Only the sect master had the right to wield it. People with nicknames were powerful, and swords with names were sharp! Even in the hands of ordinary people, this sword could cut through steel like clay. If it ended up in the hands of an actual swordsman, it would be a true tool for killing.

“It’s a spiritual artifact!” Returning to before the banquet, the black ox said as he stared at Li Qingshan’s knife.

“What’s a spiritual artifact?” Li Qingshan played around with the knife. “Have I really found treasure?” He had seen many novels written like this in his past life, casually strolling through the market, finding a supreme artifact of the gods and from then on, becoming unstoppable.

The black ox sneered, shattering his imagination. “This thing has barely been embedded with a layer of spiritual qi. It’s not even a low grade spiritual artifact. It was probably created as practice by some weapon forging apprentice. However, at your level, you can consider it as a treasure!” The black ox’s sneer grew heavier and heavier.

This weapon could only be used as a throwing knife. Whether it be to cultivators or ordinary practitioners of martial arts, it was a piece of trash that could not provide any help at all.

Li Qingshan stowed the knife away carefully. This was the first, err, spiritual artifact he had obtained. It held great sentimental value. After all, it was something rare, wasn’t it?

However, he had never thought that in the blink of an eye, he would see another. Moreover, it was in the hands of his enemy.

The shopkeeper of the Arsenal of Arms was among the aristocrats. As the other aristocrats fled frantically, he gazed at the Soaring Dragon sword in infatuation.

If this sword belonged to the Arsenal Of Arms, he would never sell it even if Li Qingshan offered up all of his silver and kneeled on the ground to beg him.

The sword arrived. Just as everyone thought Li Qingshan would just charge straight into it like an unstoppable beast like earlier, he instead rolled on the ground and avoided the edge of the sword, arriving at a corner of the restaurant.

Yang Anzhi’s reactions were even faster. With a twist of his wrist, the sword became like a shadow, pursuing Li Qingshan closely. It was just a few feet away, such that the coldness of the sword sent chills through Li Qingshan’s body.

The aristocrats all fled and screamed when the two approached. They had thought they would be used as meat shields.

Li Qingshan was not enough of a scoundrel to do that. He reached out and grabbed a square table, wielding it as a weapon.

The huge table seemed weightless in his hand. He kicked up quite the gale, making the candles waver.

Yang Anzhi ignored this completely. Wherever the sword flashed, the table was cut to pieces like jello. In the blink of an eye, only a table leg remained in Li Qingshan’s hands.

As if he were at his wit’s end, Li Qingshan threw the table leg viciously. Perhaps he was frantic, as he had even missed with it, and it flew past Yang Anzhi’s head.

Yang Anzhi’s sword seemed unstoppable, while Li Qingshan’s back was pressed against the wall, unable to retreat or dodge.

The restaurant suddenly plunged into darkness. The table leg that Li Qingshan had thrown snuffed out the final candle.

“You want to escape? It’s too late!” Yang Anzhi yelled out, but he failed to see the smile appear on Li Qingshan’s face when the darkness descended; there was no panic.

Bang! Li Qingshan brought his hands together. In the hair’s breadth between his hands, he had caught the Soaring Dragon sword.

Yang Anzhi sneered. I possess the momentum from lunging forward, so you better stop dreaming about trapping my sword with your strength! The sword suddenly darted forward, rubbing against Li Qingshan’s palms. It actually produced the ear-splitting sound of scraping of metal.

When the tip of the sword was only three inches away from Li Qingshan’s throat, Yang Anzhi’s expression suddenly changed. A chilling wind attacked the back of his head, which made him feel life-threatening danger that he had not experienced for several years now.

That’s impossible! That was his first thought.

Although he could not see, his senses still remained. Someone had approached him from behind, so how had he failed to sense it? Just how great of a movement technique was that? Or was it a hidden weapon?

If the lanterns were still lit within the restaurant, everyone would be able to see a knife stab towards the back of Yang Anzhi’s head. It really was like a hidden weapon. However, if there were people present who had awakened their eyes like Li Qingshan, they would see the knife being grasped in Xiao An’s pure-white, little hand, fitting snugly.

Ever since Xiao An began practising the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, he had refined himself in fresh blood everyday, so he no longer feared vitality at such a level. He could approach masters of martial arts now, but he still lacked a suitable weapon.

If he continued to use a normal hunting blade, it would only bounce away from Yang Anzhi’s body due to his protective inner force even when he did not practise external martial arts. Xian An would struggle to deliver any fatal wounds.

But it was different now. The spiritual artifact knife in Xiao An’s hand was not a piece of a trash, but an extraordinary weapon for assassination.

Li Qingshan used himself as bait just to draw Yang Anzhi here. He had never prepared this beforehand with Xiao An. He had not even spoken to him about this. There was only great trust, and Xiao An did not disappoint him. Their cooperation was seamless.

Yang Anzhi was impressive as well. With just a hair’s breadth left, he lowered his head and dodged. The knife basically shaved his scalp. He was surprised, but he did not panic. He only continued to push. Once he killed Li Qingshan, he could handle the assassin behind him with composure.

The knife suddenly twisted and stabbed down.

It’s not a hidden weapon!

Yang Anzhi’s head was immediately thrown into disorder, as even now, he had not detected the presence of any person behind him. A cold sensation rose up in his heart. Without caring anymore, he tried to pull back his sword and block.

Li Qingshan’s palms gripped the blade of the sword firmly as he snickered. It’s easy for you to stab, but the one that’ll get run through first will definitely be your head. You want to pull back now? Don’t even think about it!

A person never parts with their sword. This was probably a lesson every swordsman had gone through, let alone the fact that the sword in question now was a treasured sword passed down through the generations.

The sword remained in Li Qingshan’s hands, but the person flew away with an extremely graceful movement technique. However, the person was no longer graceful anymore. He was dishevelled, in an utter mess.

This had all happened within a single instant. From when Yang Anzhi swung his sword, to forcing Li Qingshan to the wall, and then to the assassination attempt from behind, only a few seconds had passed.

The aristocrats were still panicking, yet to return to their senses. Only Liu Hong sniffed with his nose. He had discovered the scent of blood. He was shocked. Was Yang Anzhi injured? How did this kid injure him?

In the final moment, Yang Anzhi had abandoned his sword decisively, but he had paid a severe price. Xiao An dragged the knife through his back, leaving behind a wound that was over a foot in length. Blood flowed out rapidly.

Li Qingshan felt some admiration for his decisiveness. This was the first time he had experienced those emotions mentioned in the books. Even for arch nemeses who would do everything to claim each others’ lives, they would still feel shock for the skills displayed by their opponent in battle.

However, he obviously would not let himself be entangled with these emotions or anything related to the morality of the situation. Since they were enemies through and through, they were supposed to do everything they could to kill each other.

The restaurant was dark, with slight glimmers of firelight filtering through the windows. Yang Anzhi widened his eyes as he did his best to adapt to the darkness. A dark figure appeared, lunging over with a gust of wind and giving off a slight, sanguine smell.

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Chapter 53 – The Master of the Black Wind Stronghold

The Descended Tiger!

Suddenly, Yang Anzhi thought of the nickname that he had originally shrugged off completely. The Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan. Currently, the thing lunging at him was not a human, but a wild beast with fangs and claws.

Having lost his treasured sword, he was like an infant, completely vulnerable. He retreated backwards quickly.

The chilling wind appeared behind him once again, ready to take his soul.

Without any qualms anymore, Li Qingshan could use his Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength freely and unencumbered. His fists whistled through the air, forcing Yang Anzhi to dodge everywhere. Xiao An, who flew around in the darkness, did not spare a single opening. He was vicious.

The two of them, one hard and rigid and the other quick and flexible, one yang and one yin. Together, their combination was flawless.

Yang Anzhi was impressive as well. He was injured, but he used his extraordinary movement technique to maneuver and dodge. However, he still gained a few more wounds as the blood flowed faster from his back.

The smell of blood was so heavy that even ordinary people could smell it.

“Where is Li Qingshan?!” Suddenly, a bellow exploded from downstairs. It contained a powerful inner force such that it was deafening.

Over a dozen torches rose up, illuminating upstairs.

Li Qingshan’s mind halted, and he signalled at Xiao An. The knife immediately flew back into his sleeve. He did not plan on letting anyone know this secret right now.

Only now could everyone see Yang Anzhi’s figure. They were all speechless at his appearance. Before the darkness, Yang Anzhi seemed unstoppable, about to kill Li Qingshan. That also matched their expectations. No matter how powerful Li Qingshan was, Yang Anzhi was still one of the best of the best of the martial arts society of Qingyang.

However, in the blink of an eye, Yang Anzhi had actually been defeated, and he had been defeated so miserably.

Yang Anzhi recovered his sight and retreated to Yang Jun’s side. His face was pale, and his expression was twisted. It was like he wanted to tear Li Qingshan to shreds. He picked up Yang Jun and burst out a window.

Li Qingshan thought about how it was a pity, but he did not mind it too much. He placed a foot on the window sill and looked down. “Li Qingshan is right here!”

He saw a figure that was as tall and sturdy as a black bear’s at first glance, while the black bear saw him as well. They made eye contact and sparks flew.

“Xiong Xiangwu!” Liu Hong cried out. Although he was based in Qingyang city, he had met this vicious bandit before.

“The Black Wind bandits have entered the city!” someone called out. At first, the aristocrats upstairs fell into chaos once again and shouts from the distance followed.

Li Qingshan stood in the building and gazed down. The entire Qingyang city seemed to have descended into chaos.

However, Xiong Xiangwu looked at Yang Anzhi in shock as well. The two of them had heard the news together and rushed to Qingyang city simultaneously. One wanted revenge, while the other wanted the spiritual ginseng.

The Dragon’s Gate sect used its superior movement technique to arrive first. They wanted to retrieve the spiritual ginseng immediately and avoid any potential accidents. On the other hand, the Black Wind stronghold would kill off Li Qingshan. As a result, when Yang Anzhi said, “I had no plans to hurt you,” it was all just bullshit.

However, Li Qingshan’s strength seemed to have exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Yang Anzhi said, “The kid’s martial arts aren’t any worse than mine, and he has a trick up his sleeve. Be careful, master of the stronghold.” Originally, he did not want to have much to do with the Black Wind stronghold, but now, all of Li Qingshan’s enemies were his friends.

“The Dragon’s Gate sect has been working with the Black Wind stronghold to attack Qingyang city! You’ve all witnessed it!” Li Qingshan used true qi to widely broadcast his voice.

Yang Anzhi shuddered and ground his teeth. “Li Qingshan, I’ll never spare you!”

Li Qingshan’s single statement had dropped the Dragon’s Gate sect from its glory of being a righteous sect to the ranks of bandits.

“If you could do it, don’t be afraid of being condemned for it! Good, good, good! Stronghold master Xiong has come himself. You’ve saved me the trouble of coming to look for you.” Li Qingshan extended his hand and seemed to wrap his fingers around Xiong Xiangwu. With his might from defeating the Dragon’s Gate sect, he radiated with valiance.

“How bold of you!” Xiong Xiangwu’s expression changed, and he leapt up, flying towards Li Qingshan. Despite his huge size, his movement techniques were actually not bad at all.

Just when Li Qingshan wanted to attack, a figure flashed past beside him. Liu Hong used his ‘Charge of the Heavy Cavalry’ and forcefully received Xiong Xiangwu’s attack in the air.

Xiong Xiangwu landed heavily on the ground, while Liu Hong used the force from the clash to land back in the building. Blood gushed through their heads.

Xiong Xiangwu was furious. “You!”

Liu Hong said, “Stronghold master Xiong has come to Qingyang city to make trouble, so isn’t that far too disrespectful to me?!” Just like how wild beasts were territorial, people of the jianghu valued their territory as well. Sometimes, they were even more territorial than wild beasts. They would not allow the careless intrusion of anyone. The Black Wind stronghold’s actions had displeased him, the local boss of the area.

Of course, if Xiong Xiangwu had mobilised so many people for some ordinary people, Liu Hong might not have been willing to stand forward, but Li Qingshan had already demonstrated enough strength for him to help out.

The second boss, who was dressed like a scholar, said sinisterly, “Doesn’t it concern you that the Iron Fist school might be destroyed by becoming enemies with our Black Wind stronghold?”

Liu Hong called out, “Where be the disciples of the Iron Fist school?”

With that, swathes of people surged out from the streets and alleyways, surrounding the restaurant completely. They were all disciples of the Iron Fist school. They had gathered over when they heard Liu Hong’s call. Liu Hong had rallied hundreds of people, making him even mightier than Li Qingshan.

The reason why the good men of jianghu could be rampant in their territory was not purely because of their martial arts but also because of the powerful force behind them. Even if Xiong Xiangwu and Yang Anzhi worked together, they would have to carefully consider this aspect.

Yang Anzhi suddenly called out, “Master Liu, don’t you know exactly what we’ve come for this time?”

Liu Hong raised an eyebrow as if he was interested.

Li Qingshan frowned instead, but he could not stop Yang Anzhi from continuing.

“It’s for the spiritual ginseng that appeared near Bailao peak. Practitioners of martial arts only need to absorb part of it, and their martial arts will advance drastically. It can also provide a very good opportunity at reaching the innate realm. This item is in his hands right now, which is why his martial arts could advance so rapidly.” Yang Anzhi pointed at Li Qingshan with a vicious expression.

Wealth would lead to ruin from others’ greed. He had disclosed the existence of the spiritual ginseng before over a hundred people, so the news would definitely spread like wildfire. Once that happened, countless people of the jianghu who desired the spiritual ginseng would gather over like wild beasts that had caught the scent of blood. No matter how powerful Li Qingshan was, he would still be ripped to pieces.

Everyone could not help but look towards Li Qingshan. Li Qingshan only looked down, without any confirmation or denial. He knew any attempt at rejection would be useless. His progression with martial arts only served as evidence for Yang Anzhi’s accusation.

The worst situation he worried about had happened, but he did not feel frantic at all. Instead, he felt surprisingly calm.

“I’m already at such an advanced age, so I have no interest in any major advancement in my martial arts or in dominating the martial arts society!” That was what Liu Hong said, but his gaze searched through Li Qingshan. Clearly, he was not speaking his mind. There was not a single person of the martial arts society who did not want major advancements in their martial arts.

“The spiritual ginseng can also lengthen lifespans. Don’t tell me you don’t care about that either, school master Liu? All you need to do is give a single order and capture this kid, and you’ll get the spiritual ginseng without even lifting a finger. Stronghold master Xiong and I only seek vengeance, so if that happens, we will never fight over the spiritual ginseng with you. Moreover, it’s not like we can get it even if we try.” Yang Anzhi demonstrated the terrifying aspects of being the master of a sect aside from his martial arts. As expected, Liu Hong was very interested, while Xiong Xiangwu’s eyes shone as well. Who knows what he was thinking to himself.

In the blink of an eye, it was Li Qingshan against everyone else once again. His eyes were serene, but he searched for a way to break out of this situation in his head. He did not believe Liu Hong would show any loyalty of friendship towards him. Wasn’t the reason why he ended up like this exactly because he believed in the loyalty of friendship?

Of course, he was not at the end of his rope. As long as he gave up the spiritual ginseng, he could obviously get out of this situation easily. However, he would never do that unless he had no other choice. The Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers did not focus on practising qi. The spiritual ginseng could be his greatest safeguard to ensure that he could become a so-called innate master.

The stalemate was broken very soon. Xiong Xiangwu bellowed out and flew up the building once more.

Liu Hong lowered his head as if he was contemplating something. He did not move. At most, he would just stand by, and making things worse for Li Qingshan was rather possible as well.

Yang Anzhi also used this opportunity to apply some medicinal powder to his wounds and stabilise his condition. He was ready to strike.

Watching as Li Qingshan was about to face the combined attacks of two great masters of Qingyang, Yang Anzhi’s entire body was tense, ready to take part at any time.

Xiong Xiangwu’s expression changed suddenly. He forcefully twisted his body in the air and landed on the ground once more. A feather arrow brushed past him with a fierce gale and only then did its whistling arrive.

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Chapter 54 – Armouring Up

Xiong Xiangwu knelt on the ground on one knee; he was in miserable shape. Suddenly, he raised his head and looked at the top of the restaurant. A large figure stood there with the string on his bow still trembling. It was not as great as the Stone Splitter bow, but it was still a rare, steel, composite bow.

His eyes narrowed. “Huang Binghu!”

Huang Binghu said, “Stronghold master Xiong, that arrow was just a greeting. I hope you know when to retreat in the face of hardship, or you can’t blame my arrows for being merciless!”

Xiong Xiangwu was covered in cold sweat from surprise. He knew Huang Binghu was not boasting. If Huang Binghu had launched that arrow earlier with his full strength in an attempt to kill, it was extremely likely for him to die on the spot as he was in the air. A hidden marksman with a geographic advantage was simply too terrifying.

Yang Anzhi said, “You’re actually coming forward for this kid!”

Huang Binghu said, “It’s true that Li Qingshan found the spiritual ginseng, but I’ve already consumed it, and it has healed the chronic illness that has plagued me for all these years. Sect master Yang, you have the wrong person.” Behind him stood over a dozen hunters with over a dozen powerful bows.

The four great figures of the martial arts society of Qingyang had appeared together for Li Qingshan alone, either for him or opposing him.

The disciples of the Iron Fist school were in wonder, while the nearby residents also mustered up the courage to spread open their drapes slightly, watching this rare sight quietly.

The torches danced around in the cold wind, which made Yang Anzhi, Xiong Xiangwu, Liu Hong, Huang Binghu, and Li Qingshan’s faces flicker. However, they all seemed to be frozen, without moving at all. Every single one of them had their own qualms and considerations. They were all connected to one another through various ties. No one dared to act carelessly.

Li Qingshan suddenly laughed aloud. His laughter rode the cold wind and spread afar. “Stronghold master Xiong, this is your only opportunity to kill me, so why don’t you do it? Once I personally take your life here, the group of monkeys under your command will still have a chance to flee. If you miss your opportunity today, I only have to come knocking in the future, and your Black Wind stronghold will be uprooted completely, without a single person left alive!”

Arrogant! Everyone present found his words to be arrogant boasts that were jarring to the ear.

The Black Wind stronghold had served as a plague in the region around Qingyang for many years. Aside from the Drawn Reins village that was rather detached from the outside world, both the Dragon’s Gate sect and the Iron Fist school desired their destruction very much. However, Yang Anzhi and Liu Hong had both considered this before. They only had a chance if they worked together, and even if they succeeded, they would have to pay a heavy price.

Yet now, Li Qingshan actually said he would destroy the Black Wind stronghold alone. Even with their impressive evaluation of his martial arts, they found him to be overly conceited.

Xiong Xiangwu felt more anger than anything else. He seemed more and more like a black bear. “Then I’ll be waiting for you. If you don’t come, I’ll leave no one alive from the Crouching Ox village.” In the end, he tossed out a vicious threat. “No matter who helps you, I will massacre their entire family!” Afterwards, he left in a hurry with his men. The disciples of the Iron School sect opened a path and did not obstruct them. This group of mountain bandits actually treated the entire Qingyang city as nothing. They were utterly lawless.

Yang Anzhi also used his movement technique and vanished in the night. He voice rang out from afar, “Just you wait, Li Qingshan. You will gain more and more enemies. Your day of death draws near!”

Liu Hong clasped his hands at Li Qingshan before leaving with his people, while the aristocrats willingly offered ten times the amount of silver for subduing bandits. They hoped for him to spare these disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect, and they wanted to avoid getting involved with the entire matter.

The messy restaurant had become empty. Only Li Qingshan remained on the window sill, holding the Soaring Dragon sword he had taken from Yang Anzhi.

Huang Binghu arrived with his people, and Li Qingshan looked back. “Hunting chief Huang, I want an explanation.”

Two hunters brought over Xiao Hei, who had been tied up firmly, and Huang Binghu said, “Kneel and speak!”

Xiao Hei told the whole story from the beginning to the end before ending with, “Just kill me. I don’t regret it!”

Huang Binghu said with difficulty, “I’ve watched Xiao Hei grow up, so you can only blame this on my incompetent guidance. Please spare him.” He drew the hunting blade on his waist and held it in a reverse grip, stabbing it into his own shoulder.

“Hunting chief!” Xiao Hei called out in a panic.

“Xiao Hei, there are some things that you just cannot do. I, Huang Binghu, have killed countless people in my life, but I have never been an ingrate to the kindness that has been shown to me, much less return kindness with ingratitude.” Huang Binghu extended his hand, and a hunter behind him passed another hunting knife to him in deep sorrow. Huang Binghu stabbed it into his left shoulder.

Xiao Hei’s face was tear-stricken. He was filled with both shame and regret. Ever since a young age, he had admired and looked up to this man, even more than his own father. Yet, right now, he was bleeding for his sake.

Huang Binghu stabbed a hunting blade straight into his chest.

The punishment for an unredeemable mistake, a life for a life. This was the explanation that a man of jianghu could give.

A hand grabbed Huang Binghu’s wrist firmly. The blade could no longer be thrust down.

Li Qingshan was stunned at first before feeling relieved. “Did the hunting chief plan on shouldering the matter all alone and then end it all with death? That’ll be useless. Even if they’re uncertain, they’ll still come to find me.”

Huang Binghu sighed heavily. Having roamed through the jianghu himself, he knew just how terrifying this matter was. A single martial arts manual or a single treasured sword could kick up a sea of blood in the jianghu. The lives of first-rate masters or even those beyond the first-rate would be taken away like they were worthless.

The red light in Li Qingshan’s eyes vanished. He actually smiled. It was not a crazy smile or a wide smile, but a candid one like that of an ordinary youth’s. “But I’m not afraid of them!” He said these words straightforwardly and with confidence. Before Huang Binghu could warn him, he continued, “Have you prepared my tiger bone wine?”

“I’ll have someone deliver it tomorrow!”

Li Qingshan said nothing more. He still took the stairs down and arrived outside the establishment. Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation from his face. Looking up, the pitch-black sky was filled with snowflakes.

A transparent figure emerged from the scholar wood tablet, flying beside him.

Li Qingshan muttered to himself, “I’m not afraid of enemies. I’m afraid of betrayal.” All he saw was Xiao An staring at him blankly. He could not help but smile. “You won’t understand even if I explain it. It’s not like you’ll betray me anyway, right?”

Perhaps Xiao An did not understand what the ‘betrayal’ Li Qingshan spoke of meant, but he understood what he was expecting. Xiao An nodded in a great hurry.

“Let’s go. Tonight is still not done!” Flames lit up in Li Qingshan’s eyes as if they could even melt this world of ice and snow.

Old Knickers sipped on some alcohol and tended to a charcoal fire in the stove, staving off the piercing coldness of winter.

He never had a woman in his life, having spent several decades of his life guarding the armoury. Even his neighbours had forgotten his name, only remembering his surname Zhang. They all called him old Zhang or the old armoury guard. Afterwards, the children living close to him somehow came up with old Knickers¹ and that name stuck, adding a sense of degeneracy to the old man who had been alone his entire life for no reason.

It was already very deep in the night, but he had yet to sleep. Just like usual, he would recall his life, extracting the most glorious parts of his memory as if he were ruminating the past. He would mull over it while he felt tipsy. As for the truth to these memories, they were just like his name. Not only was it the case for other people, but even he himself could not discern them.

Thump! Thump! Thump! The sound interrupted his recollection. He opened the door slowly. “Who is it? It’s so late!” Afterwards, he saw a teenager standing at the door, smiling apologetically at him.

“District magistrate Ye has allowed me to take some items from the armoury. Here is the paperwork!”

Old Knickers shivered. Although many parts of his memories were exaggerated or made up all together, there was at least one part that was true. He had truly been a soldier in the past and had fought in wars. He had witnessed the real thing, actual scenes of slaughter. The youth before him was very young and very polite, but he gave off an aura that he found to be familiar—murderousness.

The murderousness lingered without dispersing. This was a feeling that only brave and valiant soldiers who had claimed several dozen lives with their hands would possess. If he came across an enemy like this on the battlefield, he would definitely avoid him and get as far away as possible.

He did not even check the official paperwork properly when he retrieved the keys while trembling. Holding a lantern, he opened the gate to the armoury.

The gate of the armoury stood several meters tall and was forged out of pure metal. A total of thirty-six door nails were arranged neatly, and they had a pair of tiger heads carrying metal rings in their mouths.

Old Knickers pushed hard a few times, but the gate did not budge at all. He said awkwardly, “It seems to be frozen.” All he saw was the youth placing his hands on the ice-cold metal gate and pushing gently, and the metal door swung open. He stepped into the armoury alone.

Old Knickers pulled in his body as he waited outside. This was the first time someone had come to the armoury to take something out in the past few years. What is he taking? And what does he want to do with it?

As he wondered, a clinking sound drew closer and closer. A figure emerged from the armoury. The dark armour wrapped around his robust body, giving off an icy-cold, austere presence. The thigh guards swung around with his movements.

Old Knickers’ breathing halted, and he fell back on his bottom. He recalled the terrors of the battlefield and those callous, fierce figures once more. It felt like in just the next moment, the person before him would swing his blade and kill him.

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1. The Chinese word for armoury, 库, is a homophone of the word for pants, 裤, so they sound similar. The word for armoury guard or the person in charge of the armoury is 库头, while the word for knickers is 裤头. It’s a homophonic spin on his name.

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Chapter 55 – Who Said I Have Nothing to Wear?¹

Li Qingshan patted the three quivers on his waist and carried the Soaring Dragon sword and Stone Splitter bow on his back. Meanwhile, he had the frighteningly heavy and extraordinarily large Tyrant’s spear on his shoulder. He vanished into the snowy, windy darkness, leaving behind a long trail of deep footprints in the snow.

In the district government’s office, the advisor said to Ye Dachuan, “Sir, Li Qingshan is not listening to you. There’s nothing we can do!”

As it turned out, Ye Dachuan saw how none of the aristocrats were willing to help him anymore under the threat of the Black Wind stronghold and was certain one against two hundred would result in defeat, so he tried to convince Li Qingshan to remain behind and come up with a long-term plan instead. However, Li Qingshan would never listen to him. He forcefully demanded for the paperwork and left.

Ya Dachuan constantly paced around in the room before suddenly stopping. He stamped his foot. “Go gather men and horses for me!”

The advisor said with difficulty, “Do we have any men and horses?”

Ye Dachuan said frantically, “Those aristocrats were actually daring enough to attempt to get their descendants to kill me right in my face. The Dragon’s Gate sect is a great nest of bandits as well. Tell them that any clan that doesn’t send any people is a traitor to the city.” He had thought it through. If Li Qingshan died, then there was no point in him remaining as the district magistrate. It was even possible that the Black Wind stronghold and Dragon’s Gate sect would vent their anger on him.

The advisor said, “Please reconsider, sir!” If he did that, he would be offending all of the aristocrats of Qingyang.

Ye Chuan kicked him in the bottom with the sole of his foot. “Why aren’t you going!”

The advisor could only oblige. As soon as he made his way out of the hall, over a dozen pitch-black figures blocked his way. Who knows when they had entered the government office. The advisor was startled. He looked over using the weak lantern light from inside the hall and saw all of them carrying bows and arrows. “S- so it’s the- good men of the Drawn Reins village. M- may I ask you why you’ve come at such a late hour?”

Huang Binghu’s shoulders were wrapped in white cloth, but his bearing was as composed as before. He patted the advisor’s shoulder and said, “Sir Ye, Huang Binghu of the Drawn Reins village is willing to assist you.” After Li Qingshan left, Huang Binghu and the others had found an inn to rest in, but before they could even fall asleep, they received the news that Li Qingshan had left the city clad in armour.

Huang Binghu obviously did not believe that he was running away, so he stood up suddenly. “I’m going out. While I’m not here, Xiao Hei is in charge of everything.”

Everyone knew where he was going. Xiao Hei said, “Hunting chief, we’ll go with you!” After everything he had gone through today, much of the frivolous immaturity had vanished from his face, replaced by the level-headedness and seriousness of an adult.

“We must think for the village!”

Xiao Hei said, “The Drawn Horse village hasn’t gained its name through compromising. We’ve fallen out with the Black Wind stronghold, so there won’t be any long lasting peace. We can only gamble on this person. If I were in charge, that’s what I would do.

Huang Binghu said, “Good. Those two stabs today weren’t in vain!”

Qingyang city, which had just quietened down, became noisy once again.

In the Iron Fist school, Iron Lion Liu Hong had not slept either. Instead, he was pondering and thinking over everything that had happened today. Li Long stepped into the room and dropped to his knees with a thud. “Master!”

Liu Hong frowned. “What are you doing?”

Li Long said, “Please save the Crouching Ox village, master!” The Black Wind stronghold had not massacred the village because they wanted to capture Li Qingshan first, the main culprit behind it all, and also because of the village’s ties to the Iron Fist school. That was why they had not acted so quickly. However, they had all fallen out with one another after tonight, so the Black Wind stronghold would definitely madly seek revenge. They would definitely go forth with the massacre.

Liu Hong said, “You can go bring your father’s family and caretaker Liu’s family over!”

Li Long continued to kneel. “Please save the Crouching Ox village, master!”

“Didn’t you say you disliked it there?”

“But that’s still my hometown!”

Liu Hong sank into his thoughts for a while as if he was considering the various costs and benefits with his decision. Suddenly, he stood up afterwards. “Go, gather the disciples!” He had already considered Li Qingshan’s spiritual ginseng and the wealth of the Black Wind stronghold.

Li Long beamed. “Thank you, master!”

Ye Dachuan used his position as the district magistrate and borrowed Li Qingshan’s renown and the might of the Drawn Reins village to order the aristocrats to send people. However, there were still some aristocrats who refused to obey, reluctant to send any people.

Just as Huang Binghu frowned as he considered whether he should kill someone to set an example, Liu Hong strode over and clasped his hands. “Hunting chief Huang, I’ve heard many things about you.” Afterwards, he said to the resisting aristocrats. “Today, Liu Hong swears he will remove a great threat for Qingyang city. If you are willing to assist me, I will never forget it.” What he was implying was. “If you don’t assist me, I will never forget it.”

Given these circumstances, the aristocrats finally became afraid of resisting. They sent people over reluctantly. Although they were unwilling, they did send everyone they could spare. Xiong Xiangwu’s words lingered in their ears. If they did not eradicate them this time, what they faced would be vengeance, so they could only unleash everything that they had!

And, with the two masters, Huang Binghu and Liu Hong, watching over, they all felt that there really was a chance for them to destroy the Black Wind stronghold. In reality, the carnage that the Black Wind stronghold created did have something to do with them. Just like caretaker Liu’s nickname, Half-village Liu, most of the land in and around Qingyang city had been purchased up by them. When the Black Wind stronghold pillaged and plundered villages, most of it was their resources. As for the ransom money they had paid in the past, who knows how much it was really. Otherwise, they would have never paid taxes willingly to the previous few district magistrates for eradicating bandits.

Xiong Xiangwu would have never imagined that his threat would instead result in the aristocrats turning against him completely.

Ye Dachuan gazed at the mass of people gathered there in disbelief. It had completely exceeded his original expectations. There were actually four to five hundred people. With his identity as the district magistrate, he watched over in the centre as Huang Binghu and Liu Hong controlled and ordered the people around. He had never done something so heroic. The courage in his heart that had been blinded by fame and wealth was actually set ablaze as well.

The advisor was utterly stunned. He thought of a phrase mentioned in books that he was originally nowhere close to, ‘With a public call, followers converge, and the world is upheaved.’

Perhaps the world only needed a single warrior, a single hero to stand forward, and it could turn the impossible into the possible, leading the masses and completing a so-called miracle.

However, this leading hero would normally not meet a good end.

Old Knickers opened up the armoury with his trembling hands, removing sets and sets of armour and equipping this group that was setting out to eradicate bandits. With the clinking of armour, they set off on their journey.

Huang Binghu through to himself, I hope we can make it in time! They had wasted too much time gathering everyone.

Liu Hong thought, Kid, just last a little longer, but if you die, I’ll avenge you!

Li Qingshan advanced quickly through the darkness. He carried one to two hundred kilograms of equipment, but not only did it fail to tire him, but it instead made him feel delighted over being able to use his strength.

The metal armour was cold, but his blood became hotter and hotter. He walked faster and faster. In the end, he was basically sprinting through the wilderness. His heavy footsteps were like war drums, thumping out loud!

Who knows how long he had traveled for though the mountains and forests. He came to a sudden halt, and his gaze pierced through the wind and snow like a sword as he looked right into a gully. A stronghold stood in the darkness with a few lanterns vaguely lit.

The Black Wind stronghold was right before him.

Li Qingshan did not rush up. He removed the alcohol gourd from his waist and drank it all. His depleted strength immediately recovered, and a wave of heat rampaged through his body like a wild horse.

Suddenly, he thought of a part from a Chinese opera and called out, “Look at that black hole ahead, it must be that bandits’ nest. Once I head over there, I’ll slaughter them all!”

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1. The names of chapter 54 and 55 actually originate from the same poem. I’ve twisted it slightly to fit the context better (mainly just for chapter 54), but the title of chapter 55 actually comes before the title of 54 in the poem. Hopefully that makes more sense.

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Chapter 56 – Into the Black Wind Stronghold Alone

The gathering hall was ablaze with lights. The leaders of the stronghold all gathered together, discussing the matter regarding Li Qingshan.

“First boss, what do we do now? The kid is hiding in Qingyang city, and he has Huang Binghu’s protection.”

“Hmph, Yang Anzhi has disclosed the news about the spiritual ginseng, so who can protect him? He’ll meet an untimely end before long.”

“He’ll be dying in the hands of others. We won’t be able to regain the domineering influence of our Black Wind stronghold like that. Moreover, the spiritual ginseng will end up in the hands of others.”

As expected, Xiong Xiangwu’s eye twitched. His desire for the spiritual ginseng was no less than anyone else’s.

“Did he say he would come himself? When that happens, I’ll crush him into meat paste.” The seventh boss was a bald fatty. He swung the huge mace in his hand barbarically.

Everyone looked at one another and snickered. “Seventh brother, you’re the only one who thinks he’ll come.” No one with the slightest bit of intelligence would actually believe he would rush into their Black Wind stronghold alone.

“If he won’t come, we’ll force him to come. Although the snow has sealed up the mountains, preventing us from mobilising a large number of our forces, we only need to send a single group, and that’ll be enough to massacre the Crouching Ox village and regain our might. When we do that, we just need to find a few family and friends close to him and hack them to pieces before delivering them piece by piece to him. I refuse to believe he’ll still be able to stay put.” The second boss stated his insidious scheme.

All of the bosses applauded him, all agreeing to it. The second boss smiled boastfully as well.

Thunk! There was a blaring sound, and the entire stronghold seemed to shake. A bandit rushed in. “Oh no! T- there’s someone banging on the stronghold gate, bosses!”

In front of the stronghold, over a dozen bandits guarding the entrance stared at the gate in shaking fear. The huge gate nailed together from several large, thick logs no longer provided any sense of safety to them.

Thunk! With another loud noise, the logs trembled as wooden splinters flew everywhere; it was like a huge beast was trying to force its way in. Under the constant ramming, large parts of the stronghold gate cracked.

Boom! Huge pieces of splinters scattered, and a piece of it struck a bandit in the chest, immediately causing him to collapse onto the ground and spit out blood.

However, the bandits were in no shape to care for their companion. Instead, they stared at the entrance blankly. Within the wind, snow and dust, a large, tall figure stepped into the Black Wind stronghold.

“S- stop! This is the black-” Despite his fear, a bandit who seemed to be their leader tried to speak, but before he could even finish his words, an arrow emerged from the dust, ending what he was going to say and his life.

Li Qingshan lifted the Stone Splitter bow and said nonchalantly, “I know!”

Before the dust had even settled, the bandits discovered that standing before the gate was not an army or a colossal beast, but a teenager clad in metal armour, wielding a huge bow. The fear in their hearts immediately eased up drastically. Someone waved his blade and called out, “He’s alone! Everyone get him together and kill him! The stronghold master will reward us handsomely!”

Over a dozen mountain bandits wielded various weapons and charged over with battle cries.

Li Qingshan calmly removed three arrows from a quiver and notched it on the bowstring. He immediately drew the bow to its full capacity, and a series of thrums rang out. The sharp arrows pierced the three bandits at the very front with enough force to pierce clouds and split rocks. They collapsed on the ground, dead, like puppets that had their strings cut.

Li Qingshan drew the bow like it was a spring and fired arrows. He consecutively killed twelve bandits.

“I’ll kill you!” There were still four bandits who managed to approach him, swinging their weapons at Li Qingshan’s head as they roared out. Li Qingshan stowed his bow away and continued forwards like he had not seen them at all.

A whirlwind swept through his surroundings with a sharp edge. Blood spurted from the necks of the four bandits at the same time, and they all collapsed on the ground. One of the bandits had some skill and saw the tiny knife. He tried to parry with his blade, but the knife cut through his weapon like it was cake.

Li Qingshan made his way over the corpses and continued forwards. Afterwards, he stopped in the empty centre of the stronghold. He saw bandits rush out after receiving the news from various buildings. They all held torches, which was extremely eye-catching in the darkness.

He drew the great bow and fired off arrows rapidly. He became faster with each arrow.

The effects of the spiritual alcohol gradually came into play within his body. He felt slightly tipsy, but every single arrow he shot seemed like a result of divine intervention. Not a single missed.

The gathering hall was located at the highest point of the Black Wind stronghold. The bosses all hurried out of there and looked down from a platform. The bosses all cried out together, “He’s actually bold enough to come?” Moreover, he came so quickly too.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan found that the bandits had stopped changing over, instead retreating in an orderly fashion. He raised his head and saw Xiong Xiangwu with a single glance, and he laughed aloud. “Stronghold master Xiong, a guest has come, yet as the host, you take forever to welcome him! I couldn’t wait any longer, so I killed a few dozen of your lackeys to kill my boredom. You can’t blame me for this!”

True qi surged out and projected the laughter to five kilometers away. His words reverberated through the mountains, drowning out the sound of wind and snow, booming through the ears of the mountain bandits like thunder. Those who were closed and asked immediately collapsed on the ground, moaning as blood trickled from their ears.

“Oops, I’ve killed a few more.” Li Qingshan covered his mouth and produced a drunken hiccup.

The bandits were shaken from fright, while Xiong Xiangwu was close to exploding with anger. The strength of Li Qingshan’s inner force was beyond his imagination, and it was even more refined. He was not like the rumors, which said he was just a master of tough, external martial arts. It must have been the effects of the spiritual ginseng.

“The same day next year will be the anniversary of your death. No, I want to keep you alive and torture you for seven days and seven nights!”

Li Qingshan laughed aloud. “I don’t have the time or boredom to deal with you like that, so they up and come meet your maker!” He raised and drew his bow, and the smile on his face suddenly vanished. His right hand turned into a flurry as he fired the arrows like a machine.

Seven arrows formed a single line. He had used the rapid fire technique he had learnt from the Drawn Reins village to fire away at the platform.

“Dodge!” Xiong Xiangwu’s warning was too late. A person fell from the platform with three arrows in him. He had only managed to dodge the first four arrows.

“Sixth boss!” the mountain bandits cried out.

Li Qingshan reached towards his waist. The three quivers of arrows were all empty, so he tossed them aside with the great bow.

“He’s out of arrows!” “There’s no need to fear him! Kill him!” The bandits riled up their morale and surged forth as a black mass. They surrounded him completely and layers upon layers of figures and weapons swallowed up Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan kicked up the Tyrant’s spear by his foot and placed it on his shoulders with a clang. He swung around like a whirlwind, and the seventy-one kilogram, four-meter-long Tyrant’s spear danced like a black dragon, thrumming deeply as it swept through the air.

Five bandits were blown away simultaneously, either with their heads cracked open or their chests crushed to dust. They could not be more dead. With this weapon in hand, anything Li Qingshan touched would die. No one would survive.

He also managed to smash the bandits further away together, causing them to moan and cry out. Li Qingshan looked at the platform. “Don’t send your lackeys to a pointless death. Hurry up and get over here and fight me.” Xiong Xiangwu looked at the dead and injured, but he had no intention of fighting. He sneered instead. “Fight you?” He could clearly see it from his vantage point.

More than ten mountain bandits in special uniforms blended in with the crowd, approaching Li Qingshan. They did not hold their weapons high like their companions, instead letting it droop.

Li Qingshan shivered inside. Terrifying killing intent appeared like a venomous snake revealing its fangs, but all of the masters he had to take seriously were clearly on the platform.

Before he could consider it carefully, these special bandits raised their arms and called out, “Move!”

Li Qingshan immediately saw it clearly. There were over a dozen pitch-black crossbows in their hands, and they all pulled the triggers at the same time.

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Chapter 57 – Trampling Through the Black Wind Stronghold

The crossbow bolts tore through the air. They were not much weaker than even the Stone Splitter bow. They pierced the metal armour with a series of clangs, stabbing into Li Qingshan’s body. He immediately halted.

Xiong Xiangwu sneered. “Do you really think you’re worthy enough to fight me with just you alone? You’re being let off easily by dying like this!” He had only obtained these crossbows after tremendous effort. Moreover, he had spent an extensive amount of time to train these crossbowmen. They were the true trump card of the Black Wind stronghold.

He had committed far too much evil. All of the other organisations in Qingyang city viewed him as a thorn in their side, so if he did not take any precautions, it would have been impossible for him to sleep at night. Even first-rate masters would probably be doomed once these crossbows launched a sneak attack.

“And then?” Li Qingshan, who should have been dead, suddenly raised his head and asked. The crossbow bolts pierced the metal armour, but it failed to pierce his fascia. He had also become drenched in cold sweat. If it were not for the metal armour that nullified much of the force, it would have been impossible for him to block the crossbow bolts with his Ox Demon Forges its Hide. However, although he was mostly unscathed, it took him quite a while to recover. Bows and crossbows were truly divine tools for killing masters.

“Protect the crossbowmen. Fire again!” The second boss ordered loudly. The bandits charged up, and the crossbowmen hurriedly reloaded. Crossbows were easy to use, but they were nowhere near as fast as bows, so it was extremely easy for the crossbowmen to be injured. However, with the second boss’s orders, they could unleash their greatest killing power. He had managed to command the group of mountain bandits like an army.

“Sweeping Away All!” There was no reason for Li Qingshan to want to remain as a living target. He targeted the area where the bandits were most packed and used the Tyrant’s spear style. He charged over like a war chariot as the spear swept about, sucking up over a dozen bandits. It was just like a black dragon eating its prey. When it spat them out again, they had all become corpses.

How could these measly people stop him?

One of the crossbowmen had his chest pierced all the way through before he could even draw his crossbow. The spear flicked up his entire body, and his corpse smashed another crossbowman to death in the distance.

Li Qingshan was unified with his spear as he rampaged through the crowd, only attacking without the slightest defence. The weapons that landed on him would immediately be knocked away by the metal armour, unable to harm him at all. However, when he swept out with the huge spear, he would be piercing chests and heads. Not a single person would be left alive.

In just a while, he had killed over a dozen mountain bandits, and more than half of the crossbowmen were dead as well. He stood among the bandits with over a dozen crossbow bolts embedded in his armour, drenched in blood. A brutal aura of slaughter was set ablaze, utterly frightening the bandits.

One of the bandits tried to launch a sneak attack from behind. All he did was turn around and glare at him, red light shining in his eyes. Before he could even launch a counter attack, the bandit’s face suddenly darkened. He had actually been frightened to death on the spot.

Xiong Xiangwu watched on as he felt both a heartache and fury. Even if he won this battle, he would suffer a crippling loss. The faces of the other bosses were ugly as well. Li Qingshan’s martial arts were so great that it had basically exceeded all of their imaginations.

The second boss said, “Boss, don’t worry. Li Qingshan is clad in armour and wielding a huge spear. He seems invulnerable and unstoppable, but he’s burdened with a weight of over a hundred kilograms. No matter how great his martial arts are, he can’t last too long. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t keep on waiting for him to tire himself out and then strike. We can just recruit more people in the future to make up for our losses.”

There were almost no battles amongst masters that lasted for three days and three nights. As a matter of fact, there were very few that even exceeded ten minutes because of the danger of the attacks. Landing a single attack could determine life and death. Practitioners of martials arts needed to erupt with their physical strength and willpower in a single instant, defeating their opponent in a single stroke.

Xiong Xiangwu’s heart settled down. He thought that even if it were himself, he would not be able to last for very long after firing the Stone Splitter bow several dozen times and then charging into battle equipped like that. Even if a person possessed unfathomable ability, once they were exhausted, they were lambs to be slaughtered. This was the terrifying aspect of the battlefield. Ants swarming an elephant to death was not just an idiomatic phrase.

However, never had they thought that not only would Li Qingshan continue on tirelessly, but he would even become fiercer the more he fought. The potency of the entire gourd of spiritual alcohol he had drunken was just too startling. It burned within his body, providing him with endless strength. The Tyrant’s spear danced as a flurry in his hands, moving about according to his will. He killed to his heart’s content as he became drenched in blood. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength he practised could not be compared to the martial arts of mortals. Oxen were renowned not for their strength but their endurance.

As more and more bandits died with corpses strewn about, with the encirclement close to collapsing, sweat covered the second boss’s forehead. “Why is this happening?”

The snow fell heavier and heavier. Huge snowflakes fell towards the ground, covering all of the mountains.

As they fell towards Li Qingshan, the violent gales of his spear would immediately sweep them away. A bandit had been sent flying, and when he landed on the ground, he dyed the snowy ground red with blood. The remaining bandits did not have the slightest fierceness anymore. They all retreated frantically, and Li Qingshan’s spear paused. “What heavy snow!”

Xiong Xiangwu ordered decisively, “Do it!” Together with the other bosses, they all flew down, and the morale of the bandits was immediately riled up.

The seventh boss swung his mace, which whistled through the air. Even before it had struck anything, it had whipped up a wild gale. His might was startling and utterly outrageous. He had been born with natural strength, enough to slay tigers and bears.

The second boss said, “Don’t confront him directly!”

“You’ve finally come!”

Li Qingshan used the ‘Tyrant Carries the Cauldron’, and he raised the Tyrant’s spear upwards.

With a clang, the spear and mace collided. The mace was blown back, smashing into the seventh boss’s head, spurting with brain fragments.

Using this opportunity, the fourth boss’s three-section staff struck Li Qingshan’s waist. The fifth boss swung his broad blade at his back, while the second boss concealed himself among the attacks and used his metal fan to venomously strike the unprotected back of Li Qingshan’s head.

However, the most dangerous attack out of all of this was Xiong Xiangwu’s hand that extended towards Li Qingshan’s face.

Even if Li Qingshan endured these attacks with his Ox Demon Forges its Hide and the metal armour, the force would cause him great pain and make him pause, which would make it very easy for him to lose his life.

He finally understood why even an experienced member of the jianghu like Liu Hong would change in expression and refuse to believe him when he said he would destroy the Black Wind stronghold. The dangers involved were unimaginably great.

“The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves!” He came up with an idea and channeled all of his true qi into his right foot, stomping down heavily. He created a minor earthquake within a few metres of him, causing the ground to crack and sink as the tremor shook up the surroundings.

Martial arts were about drawing strength from the ground, deeply rooting themselves on the ground. As long as they had yet to become gods or immortals capable of flight, they would not be able to leave the ground. The attacks of these bosses were fierce like the wind, but their feet were still rooted to the ground.

Li Qingshan’s stamp immediately threw them off balance. They only felt a tremor invade their feet, and their heads span as they felt an urge to vomit blood. Their attacks became powerless as well, barely able to achieve any effects upon landing on Li Qingshan. Only Xiong Xiangwu managed to maintain the might of his strike because he was the strongest among them.

Li Qingshan chuckled aloud, and he retreated quickly, avoiding Xiong Xiangwu’s strike to his face and forcefully colliding against the fourth boss behind him. At the same time, he thrusted the spear at Xiong Xiangwu’s chest.

The fourth boss wailed out as all of his bones were shattered. He had been knocked away. Xiong Xiangwu withdrew his hand and twisted his body, avoiding Li Qingshan’s dragon-like spear.

The fifth boss had the weakest martial arts, so he had yet to recover. Li Qingshan released the pole of the spear, grabbing him by the head and pushing him to the ground. With a crack, he splattered like a watermelon with white and red. Then, Li Qingshan scooped up the Tyrant’s spear again and placed it across his body, using the Tyrant’s Parry.

He had tore through the attacks of the Black Wind stronghold in the blink of an eye and killed four bosses. Third-rate masters were as vulnerable as infants before him.

The remaining bandits were stunned, frozen in place. They had never thought that their own stronghold would be so feeble; it was as feeble as the villages they had pillaged and plundered before.

The snow became heavier as it fell. The ground had been dyed red with blood before being covered and frozen up by snow, forming a horrific sight that blended red and white together.

His promise of trampling through the Black Wind stronghold was gradually coming true!

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Chapter 58 – The Strength Talisman of the Guardian Kings

Li Qingshan kicked aside the corpse near his foot and grinned. “It’s much cleaner like this. Come, stronghold master Xiong, I’ll give you a fast one!” He turned his head slightly. “And the one behind me, I’ll take both of you on together!”

The second boss, who was dressed like a scholar, no longer possessed any refined bearing at all. His scholar’s hat had fallen off his head, and he was drenched in cold sweat. He had managed to survive against Li Qingshan thanks to sheer luck and his impressive movement technique, but he was utterly frightened. When Li Qingshan glanced at him, he staggered backwards like he had been struck by lightning.

“Stronghold master, I don’t want to die here. I can’t just let my resourcefulness go to waste like this!” After saying that, the second boss fled. He seemed as light as a feather, reaching the gate of the stronghold with just a few strides. The other bandits scattered with him, fleeing towards the gate.

“Trash will always be trash!” Xiong Xiangwu swore aloud. If it were not for Li Qingshan, he would have been tempted to personally execute these deserters.

Just when the second boss was about to escape from the stronghold, an inky-green knife silently slid past his throat.

He did not have Yang Anzhi’s skill, and he was utterly terrified. Only the thought of escaping occupied his mind, so how was he supposed to guard himself against a tiny knife in the darkness? Blood spurted as his eyes dilated. Even when he died, he did not know who had killed him.

The other bandits who tried to flee suffered the same fate as him. The pitch-black gate seemed like the boundary of death.

Xiong Xiangwu was unable to see what had happened at the gate. All he heard was a few heavy thuds, so he knew those people were probably done for. He shivered inside. “What did you do?”

Li Qingshan smiled as he confessed, “I obviously killed them!” Ever since Xiao An began practising the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, he no longer feared the vigorous vitality of masters. However, Xiao An was only able to circle around the surroundings, unable to approach the battlefield during the slaughter prior due to the surging killing intent. Nonetheless, it was the perfect opportunity for him to set up an ambush.

The bandits who fled blindly in the darkness were basically the best prey. They were completely helpless before him, their necks basically bare for the executioner’s blade.

Xiong Xiangwu felt like exploding in anger. Everything he had built up over the years had been destroyed just like this, destroyed in the hands of a kid. All of the bandits had committed atrocious sins, but now, all that was left was him. At that moment, the colossal stronghold had turned into a domain of ghosts from the slaughter, with just the whistling of wind and snow remaining.

Li Qingshan held his spear in a horse stance. “Come!”

Xiong Xiangwu stared right at Li Qingshan. He extended his trembling hand into his bosom and pulled out a faded, yellow paper talisman extremely carefully. He had obtained this talisman through pure accident and with great difficulty. It was his final straw to save his life. He never thought he would reach a point like this, so he never had the time to use it, but he could no longer care too much now.

Li Qingshan could clearly see the bright flow around the paper talisman, and he shivered inside. His spear shuddered, and true qi surged into it. He used the final move of the Tyrant’s spear style, as well as the most powerful move, ‘World Domination’. The spear pierced through the air in an unstoppable manner.

Xiong Xiangwu bit the tip of his tongue and spat on the paper talisman before sticking it on his chest. A glow erupted and enveloped him. He roared out, “I’m going to kill you!”

Clang! There was the screeching of metal. A layer of golden light blocked the unstoppable Tyrant’s spear, preventing it from advancing even an inch further. Originally, Xiao An wanted to assist Li Qingshan, but under the illumination of the golden light, he was unable to take a step closer to the battle.

Xiong Xiangwu grabbed the tip of the spear, and all Li Qingshan felt was a huge force that was actually no weaker than his own strength. He almost lost his grip on the spear. He immediately used the Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves, and his feet plunged into the ground. Determination flooded his eyes as he refused to back down at all.

The two of them engaged in a contest of strength. The metal spear that was as thick as a person’s wrist was twisted into an exaggerated curve.

They gradually drew closer. Five steps, three steps, one step.

Xiong Xiangwu lifted his hand suddenly and swung it at Li Qingshan’s head. His hand was alarmingly big, the same size as a bear’s paw. It was completely disproportionate to his body. Now that the light enveloped it, it seemed even larger.

Even before the slap had landed, the fierce gale sucked away Li Qingshan’s breath. He released the Tyrant’s spear and retreated quickly. The attack brushed him, and his set of thick, metal armour was ripped off like paper. His chest ached. It was even more powerful than the swing of a sword or blade.

Bang! As if Xiong Xiangwu was unable to control his strength, he slammed the ground and produced a great rumble. The ground sank deeply, even more than when Li Qingshan used the Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves earlier.

Li Qingshan finally could not help but cry out, “What is this?”

Xiong Xiangwu would never explain. He roared out, “It’s your death!”

“It’s a Strength Talisman of the Guardian Kings. As if you’re protected by the guardian kings, possessing limitless strength!” The black ox emerged from somewhere and explained indifferently.

A talking ox! Xiong Xiangwu was immediately astounded.

“Brother ox, what brings you here?”

The black ox said, “Hurry up and kill him. You still have things to do!”

“Alright!” Li Qingshan grabbed the damaged armour on him and ripped it off. He strode towards Xiong Xiangwu. “What protected by the guardian kings? Just you watch as I shatter your tortoise shell!”

Xiong Xiangwu swung his huge hand and thought, You’re walking to your death. The true qi in Li Qingshan’s body surged violently as the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength rose up from below, striking out with his full strength.

The palm and fist collided, producing a great boom. The ground below Li Qingshan collapsed, and the rock shattered. The bones throughout his body creaked painfully, while his muscles ached with numbness. However, he ignored it all, and he shouted out, “Again!” He threw another punch.

Boom! Struck by another huge hand, Li Qingshan sank into the ground a little more again.

Xiong Xiangwu wanted to knock Li Qingshan away and break him to pieces, but Li Qingshan was like a piece of metal, allowing his attacks to forge and temper him. He became braver and braver as he fought.

They clashed over a dozen times, and Li Qingshan’s calves had already sunken into the earth completely. Blood oozed out from his nose and mouth, but he became more and more determined.

At the end of the day, Xiong Xiangwu was borrowing power from a foreign source. His strength was tremendous, but there was no way he could recover his strength after each attack as quickly as Li Qingshan. He finally revealed an opening, and Li Qingshan would never just let the opportunity slip by. He threw a punch, but the glow nullified it once again.

“It’s useless! You can’t touch me!” Xiong Xiangwu laughed madly.

“I would like to see how many punches you can block!” Li Qingshan did not give his opponent any time to catch his breath. He erupted with all of his true qi and powered his fists, throwing several dozen punches consecutively.

The light trembled under the attacks, constantly fading away, while Xiong Xiangwu staggered backwards as well. Blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. Clearly, the light was unable to nullify the entire force of the punches. His body was still shaken up.

Xiong Xiangwu collapsed on one knee from all the attacks. He called out in fury and refusal, “You!”

“Die!” Li Qingshan drew the Soaring Dragon sword from his back and filled it up with true qi. The sword thrummed, and a streak of light over a foot long emerged from the tip. He swung down as hard as he could at the light around Xiong Xiangwu. It moved sluggishly for a while before sliding in smoothly. A human head fell and rolled on the ground. Its face was still filled with shock and fear.

Li Qingshan lifted up the sword and said, “The master of the Black Wind stronghold has been beheaded here! The Black Wind stronghold is destroyed!” Afterwards, he flicked the sword. “What a good sword!” He did not use this sword from the very beginning, instead using his fists to waste away the light from the talisman. Otherwise, if he had used the sword when the light was the strongest, not only would he have failed to kill Xiong Xiangwu, but he would have destroyed the sword as well.

Although the black ox had said it was an inferior counterfeit of a spiritual artifact, at least it was much more useful and suitable for him. He asked, “Brother ox, what did you want me to do?”

The black ox said, “Help the little ghost achieve something with the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty. Go gather the corpses. Don’t waste such great material.”

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Chapter 59 – The Initial Achievement of White Bone

Li Qingshan thought of what the black ox had said in the past. Xiao An was only using the blood of beasts due to the circumstances for practising the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty. If he wanted to practise it properly, he needed the blood of humans. He needed blood that was still warm from corpses that had just died. The more vitality it contained, the better it would be.

These mountain bandits were the great material the black ox was speaking about. Although Li Qingshan did not readily agree to this method, he did not mind too much. He moved the corpses over and formed quite a pile on an empty patch of land. The sight was extremely horrific and terrifying, and the sanguine smell was so heavy that it was overpowering. Even Li Qingshan himself felt rather shaken up. He could not help but ask himself, Was it really me who did this?

However, he immediately composed himself. This was retribution. If the bandits had not suffered such a fate, the world would be unfair. As long as he had a clear conscience, there was no need for him to feel regret over anything he had done. Afterwards, he followed the black ox’s orders and placed the porcelain jar that held Xiao An’s skeleton upside down on the pile of corpses.

Xiao An flew around rather nervously on the side. He only turned into a wisp and entered the jar when he heard Li Qingshan say, “Go!”

The piles of corpses trembled. The blood that dripped downwards suddenly flowed into the jar. The jar also began to tremble violently as the smell of blood became fainter and fainter.

A while later, there were cracking sounds, and the jar became riddled with fractures as red light seethed out. It was like coagulated blood, eye-dazzlingly red.

Li Qingshan frowned and held his breath. This seemed far too much like some kind of terrifying, evil ritual. It seemed like they were summoning some demon.

Bang! The jar exploded, and a tiny, blood-red skeleton remained seated on the pile of corpses. Two balls of blood-red flames blazed within its eye sockets. It was clearly an extremely mysterious and terrifying sight, but the little skeleton just happened to be sitting quietly with his hands together like some old monk meditating. It gave off a sacred feeling of enlightenment and seeing through life and death. The horrific, frightening pile of corpses vaguely seemed like the lotus pedestal that buddhas meditated on. Those pale, extended arms seemed like the pure-white petals of the lotus. It was extremely strange.

Li Qingshan probed by calling out, “Xiao An?”

The little skeleton raised its head, and its blood flames pulsed. It turned into a blood-red blur as it lunged over. It moved so quickly that it surprised even Li Qingshan. This was even faster than Yang Anzhi’s movement technique. He wanted to block or even counterattack instinctively, but he stopped himself. He allowed it to enter his arms before hitting him in the chest with a thud and sliding down.

Li Qingshan was immediately left at a loss as for how to react. All he saw was Xiao An sitting on the ground, shaking his head, as if he had failed to control his speed.

Xiao An stood up and looked at Li Qingshan. In Li Qingshan’s eyes, Xiao An saw his current figure. As if he had suddenly realised he was no longer a ghost, he lowered his head to look at his thin, bony hands before looking at his body. Afterwards, he began to tremble violently, squatting down and covering his face with his hands.

There was not the slightest sound, but Li Qingshan could clearly sense that Xiao An was weeping. As a ghost, at least he had a human form. Not a single person who had been turned into such an inhuman, terrifying state would be able to remain calm. Not to mention that he was still just a child.

Li Qingshan’s heart ached. His heart that had grown as tough as steel from the slaughter immediately softened. He rubbed his stinging nose and squatted down with a smile, rubbing Xiao An’s head. “Don’t be like this. Aren’t you pretty cute like this? In the past, only you could touch me. I couldn’t touch you. Now we’re fair.”

Xiao An raised his head, and the blood-red flames in his eye sockets became slightly brighter. He extended his hands and hugged Li Qingshan gently, laying his head against Li Qingshan’s chest. Li Qingshan opened his arms and embraced him tightly.

In the snow and wind, below a pile of corpses, a half-grown teenager and a small skeleton hugged one another, relying on each other. It was as if they could both feel a certain warmth from each other’s icy-cold bodies.

The black ox watched on quietly from one side, but his gaze was missing his usual mocking sneer.

At the end of the day, Xiao An was still a child. He cheered up very quickly, experimenting with his new body curiously. He would wander around at times and pick up a fallen bandit’s blade and play around with it at other times. He would even leap several meters into the air before helplessly falling back down to the ground with a clatter.

Li Qingshan went up in alarm, afraid that his thin bones would shatter from the fall, but all he saw was Xiao An turning over and standing up. Xiao An scratched his head and remembered he was no longer a ghost, so he could not fly anymore, but he was not disappointed at all. He took off in the wind and snow once again.

Li Qingshan relaxed. He smiled. Perhaps due to how love would extend to everything related to it, he really did not find Xiao An horrifying at all. With the various childish actions that the small skeleton performed, Xiao An instead seemed strangely cute. However, other people definitely would not feel the same way.

He turned around and asked the black ox, “Will Xiao An be like this forever?”

The black ox said, “There’s nothing wrong with it. There are plenty of people who worship gods and buddhas, wishing that they could become like this, yet they can’t! Though, normal people would never even be able to imagine that a ghost could gain a physical body. Although it is an ability of the demonic path, it can’t be restrained with buddhism or daoism. With it, you can progress rapidly and achieve extraordinary power. If this ability had been public, I can guarantee you that the consequences will be a million times worse than the spiritual ginseng you possess. Whether it be people of buddhism, daoism, or daemons and demons, they would all come for it.”

If someone provided you with a feast, could you still blame them if they didn’t provide you with cutlery? Li Qingshan could only smile bitterly. “I knew it. The Path of White Bone and Great Beauty sounds much more powerful than the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers.”

Not only was he so fast that even Li Qingshan struggled to react in time, but when he looked back, he saw Xiao An grabbing the seventh boss’s huge mace that weighed over fifty kilograms, waving it about madly. Afterwards, due to his hand being too small, he lost his grip on the hilt, and the mace flew over fifty meters away, smashing into a wall. The current Xiao An could slaughter the entire Black Wind stronghold alone, and he would definitely complete the task with much greater ease.

Moreover, the talisman that the master of the Black Wind stronghold had somehow obtained could rival his strength of an ox. If the leader of a group of bandits like him could obtain it, it definitely was not some impressive, high quality item. As a result, he could not help but begin to doubt his Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers.

“He has absorbed the essence blood of over a hundred people, so of course he wouldn’t be weak. If you want him to recover a human form, it’s actually not that difficult.” The black ox sniggered and changed the topic of conversation, ignoring Li Qingshan’s doubts.

As expected, Li Qingshan put this matter behind him too. “Really? How?”

The black ox said, “The first way is to cultivate the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty to a certain level, and then you’ll be able to conjure a myriad of different forms. You’ll be able to turn into anything you want.”

Li Qingshan nodded. “When buddhism says even great beauty will rot away into white bone upon death, it holds the meaning of seeing through falsehoods. However, this probably can’t be achieved overnight, and it’s just conjuring after all.”

The black ox said, “There’s a shortcut, which is to use the essence blood of people to form a foundation. With this method, you’ll be able to make tissue grow from white bone, regaining your flesh and blood and rebuilding your body of flesh before long.”

Li Qingshan was shocked. “Doesn’t that mean Xiao An will be alive again?”

The black ox shook his head. “Neither living nor dead. Neither dead nor living. However, from the perspective of mortals, it’s no different from resurrection.”

“Alright!” Li Qingshan was in high spirits.

“Don’t celebrate too soon. It’ll still be up to you to complete this troublesome task. You can’t expose him before everyone or leave behind too many traces, or people will come for you in the name of purging evil. Don’t blame me for not warning you.”

Li Qingshan said with determination, “Even if I have to bear sins and be covered in blood to achieve this, I will not hesitate at all. Moreover, there are countless people in the world who deserve to be killed.”

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Chapter 60 – Coming Across a Spiritual Artifact

The black ox said nothing more. Only when Li Qingshan turned around did he say, “When you return, you can begin practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. If you practise the ox but not the tiger, it won’t be an ability.”

Li Qingshan’s body paused, but his feet continued onwards. No matter where this path would lead him, he would go down it without looking back. It was for his own sake as well as for the child in front of him.

The black ox placed all of his focus on Li Qingshan. He taught Xiao An the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty because of Li Qingshan and because it was convenient. Was the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers that he taught Li Qingshan really just an inferior, mediocre ability?

Li Qingshan searched through the Black Wind stronghold for his spoils of this battle. Xiao An followed behind him with clattering steps. Very soon, Li Qinghshan found a granary. All of the grain in there had been plundered from various villages, prepared for the winter. Who knows just how many ordinary people would freeze or starve to death because of this.

Afterwards, he found a store room filled with miscellaneous items; he also found an armoury. The store room was filled with items like alcohol, meat and salt, while the armoury stored regular weapons as well. None of them could match the Soaring Dragon sword in his hand, so he did not take special note of them either. However, no matter how he searched, he was unable to find the most precious treasury. However, he did find quite a lot of silver and silver notes in the rooms of the various bosses.

The Black Wind stronghold had remained in the region of Qingyang for many years, so who knows how much treasure they had accumulated. There might have even been talismans. Xiao An was still the one who was the more attentive of the two. He discovered an extremely well-hidden mechanism in Xiong Xiangwu’s room. After activating the mechanism, a secret door appeared.

Upon opening the secret door, the glittering shine from gold and silverware almost blinded them. A wooden box contained a stack of silver notes, amounting to over ten thousand taels. However, the most precious items were probably still the paintings, calligraphy, and antiques that he knew nothing about.

Even Li Qingshan felt rather dazzled. He casually picked up an item, fiddling and admiring it for quite a while, exposing him as an ignorant bumpkin. He had never seen so much gold, silver, and treasure even across his two lives. However, after looking around, he failed to find another talisman, much to his disappointment. He thought of how Xiong Xiangwu would probably keep something as good as that by his side as a trump card if he really did have another and not leave it in a place like this to grow all mouldy. He could not help but feel slightly disappointed.

Xiao An ignored the gold and silver as if he had gotten sick of it from playing with the weapons earlier. Instead, he fished out paintings from a great, porcelain jar that stored scrolls in the corner. He no longer seemed like he was playing, instead examining them seriously. Some of the paintings were directly tossed aside by him on the ground after a single glance as if he had discerned them to be fakes.

Li Qingshan huddled over, but he saw that these paintings and calligraphy either depicted elegant scenery of mountains and water, or flowers, birds and people, or they were written in some kind of strange penmanship. He would struggle to recognise most of these words. They were all in an ancient, classical style anyway, so he was unable to distinguish between them.

Suddenly, he realised that he was basically illiterate in this world. He neither had the opportunity nor the need to learn in the mountain village. He probably could not even read most of the words in this world. He had to properly make up for this shortcoming when the opportunity arose. However, he felt very surprised inside. “You understand it?”

Xiao An nodded. Although he could not talk, he gestured to Li Qingshan, and Li Qingshan understood very quickly. As it turned out, Xiao An had remembered many more things after attaining an initial achievement with the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty and turning into a skeleton.

Li Qingshan clicked his tongue. “Maybe you’ll be able to remember your home very soon. You already understand paintings and calligraphy at such a young age, so you must have had an extraordinary education. Perhaps you aren’t even from an ordinary wealthy clan.”

Xiao An instead became lost with what Li Qingshan said. Even if he were naive, he knew he was currently unpresentable. Even if he found his home, could he meet his family?

Li Qingshan comforted him and said, “Don’t worry, I have a way. You’ll become nice and good very soon. I guarantee you that you’ll be no different from other children.”

Xiao An immediately cheered up. Although he did not know what Li Qingshan’s method was, he trusted him instinctively.

The black ox heard that from outside and snickered internally. How could he be from an ordinary wealthy clan? The little ghost’s soul had clearly been refined and strengthened with great power, which was why it had such tenacity. Even with the witch’s amateurish refinement, his soul had not dispersed; instead, he could even wield objects.

Li Qingshan might not have known just how strict the requirements of talent to practise the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty were, but the black ox did. When Xiao An managed to reach initial achievement successfully, even he was rather surprised. This was probably not due to only talent and intelligence. Instead, Xiao An probably had his spiritual intelligence awakened with some kind of spiritual medicine or technique.

Xiao An unfurled another painting scroll, and the room suddenly became filled with light. It outshone all of the gold and silver.

Li Qingshan shivered inside. He felt an extremely sharp sword qi attack him. It was actually ten times more terrifying than the killing strike from Yang Anzhi back in the restaurant. He instinctively grabbed Xiao An and pulled him behind to protect him.

The painting scroll fell to the ground, but it did not launch a terrifying attack like he had expected. After staring for a while, Li Qingshan carefully picked up the painting scroll, but he discovered that it was not a painting at all but calligraphy instead. The penmanship was vigorous and lively and extremely sharp. He truly could not recognise a single word.

It looked like a cursive script, yet it also did not. The entire calligraphy did not form a character at all. Instead, it was just messy, containing ascending and descending diagonal strokes. However, it just happened to penetrate the paper with vigour. It was extremely powerful. Every single stroke seemed like a slash a supreme swordsman had left behind on a cliff, leaving behind an impression that even time could not wear away.

The black ox said, “Kid, you’re quite lucky. You’ve actually found a true spiritual artifact!”

“A spiritual artifact!” Li Qingshan was overjoyed. He fiddled with the painting scroll in his hands as his heart was filled with delight. He rubbed Xiao An’s skull. “What a good Xiao An!”

Xiao An saw that Li Qinghshan was happy, so he lowered his head with the same amount of happiness.

“How do I use this?”

The black ox said, “Try channelling true qi into it.”

In his great battle against the Black Wind stronghold, Li Qingshan primarily used his physical strength, so he actually did not exhaust much of his true qi. Most of it remained. However, when he tried channeling his true qi into the scroll, the true qi leaked out of his body madly. All of his true qi had been sucked into the scroll.

Only when his body had run dry of true qi did one of the calligraphy strokes on the painting light up. With a flash, a descending diagonal flew out and swept past a box of gold and silver, landing on a stone wall of the secret room. It did not produce any startling disturbances, but a while later, the treasure box split open.

Only then did Li Qingshan return to his senses. He went up and took a look. All he saw was that the diagonal stroke had split all of the gold and silver in half with clean, smooth cuts. Then he inspected the heavy, stone wall and discovered an extremely thin and deep mark.

“So this is the might of a spiritual artifact!” Li Qingshan gulped. Let alone the Ox Demon Forges its Hide that he took pride in, even Xiong Xiangwu’s Strength Talisman of the Guardian Kings would never be able to block this attack. Moreover, he could sense that due to insufficient true qi, he had not even managed to unleash a tenth of the spiritual artifact’s power. If he could activate the several dozen strokes on the scroll simultaneously, just how powerful would that be?!

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Chapter 61 – Murder and Arsony

Li Qingshan finally understood why the black ox looked down on the glowing knife while not even sparing a second glance at the Soaring Dragon sword that regular people treated as a divine weapon. Compared to true spiritual artifacts, they really were inferior, substandard items.

If Xiong Xiangwu had used this spiritual artifact, he would have been the one who died today. However, it was impossible for regular practitioners of martial arts to see this glow. The unsophisticated Xiong Xiangwu did not collect the antiques, paintings, and calligraphy here. The second boss dressed like a scholar had gathered these. He could tell that the calligraphy was rather extraordinary, but he failed to pinpoint exactly where.

Even if he managed to pinpoint exactly where, it was impossible for regular practitioners of martial arts to use spiritual artifacts with their inner force. Xiong Xiangwu managed to use the talisman because he had bitten the tip of his tongue and powered it with his essence blood. Moreover, when the scroll was rolled up, it did not emit any glow at all, so it became easy pickings for Li Qingshan.

The black ox said, “This spiritual artifact does not seem complete. Instead, it’s only a fragment.”

Li Qingshan glanced at it. As expected, many of the strokes were severed along the edge of the scroll as if someone had cut it off.

The black ox’s insight was extraordinary. “This spiritual artifact doesn’t seem like it was purposefully created. Instead, it’s more like it was casually written, imbuing the strokes with sword qi and sword moves, allowing them to be activated. If you want to, you might be able to comprehend a set of sword moves from the calligraphy. And, ordinary spiritual artifacts will all be destroyed once they’re split up. The person who wrote this really did have some skill.”

Li Qingshan understood the black ox. He was as arrogant as oxen would be, so describing the person as ‘having some skill’ was already an impressive evaluation. As a result, Li Qingshan studied the calligraphy with even greater care in an attempt to comprehend some sword moves.

Originally, he believed Shi Potian had managed to comprehend the Ode to Galantry that the entire martial arts society struggled to understand as an illiterate, so he should have possessed some advantages as an illiterate as well. However, no matter how he looked at it, he failed to find anything. He only found it more and more impressive the more he looked at it. He could only give up.

Xiao An stared at the painting scroll, and his blood-red flames danced around. Suddenly, he picked up a painting scroll from the ground and began swinging it around. Wind whistled through the treasury as the scroll blurred, piercing through the air with a series of swishes as if the item in Xiao An’s hand was not a painting scroll but a real sword.

It should have been a strange and funny sight for a little skeleton to dance around wildly with a painting scroll in its hand, but Li Qingshan vaguely saw a graceful swordsman who could shake the world with a swing of his sword. He could not help but murmur, “The fairy tales are all lies.”

What illiterates learn martial arts more quickly? It was all nonsense!

The black ox glanced at Li Qingshan and clicked his tongue. “That’s what you call comprehension!”

Li Qingshan personally believed his comprehension was not too bad. He had progressed rapidly with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, and he even earned the praise of the black ox. If there was nothing wrong with him, the only explanation was that Xiao An’s talent for comprehension was just overwhelmingly high. Of course, perhaps it was due to the fact that he understood calligraphy.

Xiao An finished the final move and drew back the sword resolutely. The painting scroll became riddled with cracks before turning into fine powder. Afterwards, he looked at Li Qingshan. Although he could not make any facial expressions, his blood-red flames clearly flickered with an emotion of ‘Quickly, praise me’.

Li Qingshan rubbed his skull. “How clever!”

Xiao An immediately beamed. Seeing how Li Qingshan’s pride had been hurt, he wrote in his palm. “I’ll teach you!”

Li Qingshan smiled. “Alright then. It looks like there’s still a lot of things I need to learn. However, let’s find you a new home first!” He found a heavy, porcelain jar from all of the antique vases and considered it. “Seems a little too small.”

Xiao An disassembled into a series of bones again and flew into the jar with a series of clatters, making Li Qingshan leap in fright. He looked inside the jar and discovered a small skull and a pair of blood-red flames staring right back at him brightly.

Fine then. I originally thought nurturing a little ghost was already strange enough, but it seems to be getting even stranger now. He said, “Good night!” and placed the jar lid on.

Li Qingshan picked up the jar, shoved the silver notes into his bosom, and only took the painting scroll with him before sealing up the secret room again. In the end, he found some oil and doused the various buildings apart from the granary and store room with it. He set it all on fire.

Ever since the ancient times, murder and arsony had always gone hand-in-hand.

Even despite the wind and snow, the flames spread rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it became a roaring fire, turning Li Qingshan’s face completely red from the light.

Then, Li Qingshan poured oil onto the pile of corpses. Who knows if anyone would find anything wrong with these corpses that had their essence blood extracted by Xiao An, so he just burnt it all.

On the mountain path, the group who had come to subdue the bandits finally approached the Black Wind stronghold after a difficult night of travelling.

Just when Huang Binghu thought they were too late, a red glow suddenly filled the entire horizon. He was startled, Don’t tell me? He ordered immediately, “Move faster!” After crossing over a ridge, Huang Binghu became stunned. Liu Hong became stunned as well, and everyone who had crossed the ridge with them became speechless.

The infamous, indomitable Black Wind stronghold was currently burning, roaring with a sea of flames.

Don’t tell me that person did this alone? Everyone thought of the same question inside.

After recovering from the shock, the group rushed down the ridge as quickly as they could, arriving before the Black Wind stronghold. They passed through the broken gate with hesitance before witnessing a sight that they would never be able to forget.

Within the sea of flames, the snow on the open area had been dyed red by blood and fire, covered in various, broken weapons. Li Qingshan sat in the middle, resting. Right behind him was the burning pile of corpses.

The entire group, four or five hundred people, stopped. Huang Binghu and Liu Hong were no exceptions either. The young man gave off an unapproachable aura like a demon god.

Li Qingshan opened his eyes. “You’re finally here!” The flames reflected in his clear eyes, but it seemed like the fire arose from within him.

No one answered him!

Li Qingshan had murdered, burned, and tried the spiritual artifact, so all of his strength and true qi was truly sapped. As soon as he sank down, he felt a deep wave of exhaustion, so he just began meditating. Within this sea of fire, the best place for him to rest was the empty piece of land where he currently sat. Even he himself had never thought he would form such an impactful sight.

As an ordinary person, Ye Dachuan had not gone through as much as Huang Binghu and Liu Hong. He went up and asked, “D- did you do all this?” However, he was unable to look directly at the pile of corpses behind Li Qingshan. The scorching sensation and the smell of burning flesh made him dizzy.

Li Qingshan nodded and leapt to his feet. “Li Qingshan has destroyed the Black Wind stronghold here and now. I’ve completed my promise to the people of the Crouching Ox village, to sir, and to myself!”

However, Huang Binghu and Liu Hong noticed the crossbows among the weapons scattered on the ground. They knew the terrors of these weapons the most.

Just what martial arts had granted him such strength!? Liu Hong personally believed he could not achieve what Li Qingshan had done. Even if the bandits stood still, forming a line for him to beat them, he would still run out of stamina, let alone the fact that they were wielding various weapons and being watched over by several masters.

Liu Hong’s gaze fell onto the gourd on Li Qingshan’s waist. He thought he had guessed something, but he quickly shifted his gaze when he made eye contact with Li Qingshan.

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Chapter 62 – Killing Intent Hidden Everywhere

“Thank you all for your reinforcement!” Li Qingshan thanked Ye Dachuan, Huang Binghu, and Liu Hong. No matter what they were thinking when they came, help was help, and they would be paid back with the granary, store room, and armoury that remained from the Black Wind stronghold.

As for the treasury, it was extremely well-hidden in the first place. Now, the heat from the fire had even broken the secret door. If they wanted to get in there again, they would be forced to clear the ruins and find its precise location, forcefully breaking their way in.

Among the army, everyone smiled from ear to ear. They had eased up. Originally, they were riddled with worry, believing that they would be throwing their lives at the bandits of Black Wind mountain. Now that they had managed to attain victory without even drawing their swords and only needed to carry the spoils of the battle without any injury, it was simply fantastic. They could even boast to others when they returned.

Ye Dachuan, Huang Binghu, Liu Hong, and Li Qingshan stood together, watching everyone move the items. They seemed to follow Li Qingshan as their leader.

Apart from the alcohol gourd on his waist and the Soaring Dragon sword on his back, he had gained a new porcelain jar on his waist and a painting scroll on his back.

The jar obviously carried Xiao An. He had absorbed so much essence blood from the bandits in a single stroke, so he needed time to digest it. As for the scroll, it was the spiritual artifact he had obtained. Since it was calligraphy and could emit sword qi, he named it the Cursive Sword Calligraphy.

These two items raised Ye Dachuan, Huang Binghu, and Liu Hong’s attention, but none of them mentioned it, nor did they tactlessly ask about it. No matter what these items were, they were his spoils of the battle, objects that others could not encroach upon.

Li Qingshan asked, “Hunting chief, are your wounds alright?”

Huang Binghu said, “Don’t worry. I was precise when I stabbed myself, so it won’t affect me.”

Li Qingshan was taken aback before bursting out with laughter. “You really are an experienced member of the jianghu.” People were complicated. They would be spurred on by emotions, and they would change with their interests. There was truth within falsehoods and falsehoods within truth. It was impossible to clearly distinguish between right and wrong, kindness and grievances, nor was there a need to. Coming across each other by chance, a smile could dissolve debts of kindness and animosity.

Huang Binghu laughed aloud as well before suddenly stopping. “But the hard part has yet to come!”

Xiao Hei walked up and performed a great bow towards Li Qingshan despite their similar ages. “I’ve let you down.” Everything that happened today had shocked him deeply. If someone like him became the enemy of the Drawn Reins village, just how terrifying would that be?

Li Qingshan patted his shoulder and walked towards the entrance of the stronghold. “The sun has almost risen!”

A ray of light emerged from the east, shining from beyond the red clouds. The great fire gradually subsided.

Li Qingshan suddenly stopped. “Oh right. Hunting chief, did the nickname of the Descended Tiger come from you?”

“Maybe?” Huang Binghu had never thought he would ask that.

Li Qingshan asked, “Could you change it?”

Huang Binghu was surprised before smiling bitterly. This nickname had already spread among the people of the jianghu. The circumstances just happened to be right when he came up with it, so why would he have the right to change it now?

Li Qingshan still did not know that he would have a new nickname very soon.

The Black Tiger. The Black Tiger, Li Qingshan.

Ye Dachuan felt deep regret over the fact that he failed to find the treasury of the Black Wind stronghold in the end, but he showed none of it. His gaze would meet the advisor’s from time to time, and they were both ravishing in joy. It’s a great piece of merit! It’s a great piece of merit!

Although Li Qingshan had completed it all alone, Li Qingshan was still the sheriff Ye Dachuan had recruited, so he had his share of contribution as the district magistrate. He could already imagine the expression of the brother-in-law he was undeserving of who looked down on him when he received this news.

“Hahahaha, there have been several district magistrates who had failed to destroy the Black Wind stronghold, but I’ve done it!” Ye Dachuan laughed wildly as he patted Li Qingshan shoulder. “Of course, it’s all your contribution, sheriff Li. I will definitely report this to the prefect, who’s also my brother-in-law. You will be honoured, earning you promotions and wealth. Hahahaha.”

Sheriff Li? Only now did Li Qingshan remember that he still held a position in the government. He smiled. “Then I must thank sir Ye.”

“It’s no problem; it’s no problem at all!”

The army set off once again to return to the city. Li Qingshan had nothing to attend to, so he just travelled slowly with the army. Along the way, everyone discovered that he was not as terrifying as they had imagined him to be. They gradually gathered around him, calling him all sorts of names, such as sheriff or young hero.

Li Qingshan felt extremely delighted by this treatment as a hero he had never experienced before. Compared to the mediocrity of his previous life and the frustration he experienced in the Crouching Ox village, this was how a real man was supposed to be treated like. He would never fake some reservedness, acting like fame and wealth meant nothing. Not only did he like fame and wealth, but he also liked alcohol and meat and beautiful women. He liked drinking. He had lust. He liked wealth. He had pride. He had all of the various desires that everyone else had.

Huang Binghu bid Li Qingshan farewell, returning to the Drawn Reins village to retrieve the tiger bone alcohol the latter wanted. Li Qingshan said, “If you have ginseng as well, feel free to bring it too. I’m willing to purchase it at good prices.”

After settling this matter, he could truly begin practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. Although the black ox never mentioned a word of it, Li Qingshan felt this ordinary-looking ability hid secrets he had yet to touch upon.

And, even if it were just an ordinary ability, there were not any martial arts that could rival it. It would still be extremely important to him. He liked fame and wealth, but he had not been blinded by them. He did not forget his circumstances. The luxury right now was only just the calm before the storm. Even more, greater challenges laid ahead. If he did not make preparations beforehand, he would be defeated and broken.

However, not only did he feel no fear, but he even felt slightly excited. He was just a shout away from asking the storm to come fiercer. This was the life he had chosen.

Although it was easier to travel on the path during the day, they transported a large number of items with them, so they were unable to speed up either. Only when dusk came did the group arrive before the city gates, and they heard the roaring gongs and firecrackers.

Li Qingshan asked, “What’s the festival today?”

Liu Hong said, “No, they must be welcoming you. The district magistrate had sent people back first and passed on the news.”

As expected, a wave of warmth flooded over as soon as they entered the city. Despite it being winter, the streets were filled with people.

Everything that happened last night had shocked everyone in the city. Even after the night was over, every single person was still absent-minded, taken away by their thoughts. The entire city fell into an uproar when they received the news.

Li Qingshan smiled and received everyone, but at the same time, he could sharply sense a few hostile gazes from the tea house on the side of the street. He thought, They’ve come so quickly!

“Hmph, he’s a frog in a well. He has just destroyed a bandit’s stronghold. Senior brother, when do we get him?” In the tea house, a lady in blue with surging arrogance despite her ordinary appearance asked.

“There’s no hurry. Let’s keep waiting!” Before her sat her senior brother. He was a horse-faced man in his thirties. He carried almost nothing on him, but his hands were slender. Something bulged from his waist as his eyes shone. An experienced member of the jianghu could tell with a single glance that he was a master of hidden weapons with powerful internal force.

“We’ve been fortunate. If the news spread even further, who knows how many people would come to steal it. Why don’t we strike first?”

“He slaughtered two hundred bandits alone. I personally believe that even I cannot achieve that. The might of this Descended Tiger just happens to be flourishing. He’s difficult to deal with.” The horse-faced man shook his head. It was a pure coincidence that they were in Qingyang city, so they wanted to take advantage of these easy pickings.

“You would believe such a preposterous rumour? Look at how heavy and clumsy his steps are and how his temples are flat. He’s just a practitioner of external martial arts. At most, he’s a peak second-rate master. He can’t be at the first-rate. If we work together and greet him with our hidden weapons, we’ll take his life almost instantly.”

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Chapter 63 – The Tiger Demon Forges its Bones

“We still have to be careful when we roam the jianghu. You would rather go without the spiritual ginseng than place yourself in danger. There are other people here, so let’s have them probe him first!” The horse-faced man instructed earnestly, but it only made the lady in blue scorn him.

“Master said that you have to listen to me when outside!” The horse-faced man became furious as well. If you’re looking to die, you’re more than welcome to, but don’t drag me into it as well. If it weren’t for the fact that you’re master’s daughter, I would have abandoned you a long time ago.

He had experienced the many dangers of the jianghu. Even if he managed to get the spiritual ginseng, the slightest of carelessness would lead him to his death. If this Li Qingshan was a clever person, he would immediately offer it to someone, or he would be dead for sure. No, even if he did offer it up, the person on the receiving end would definitely silence him with death in order to avoid the news spreading, stopping others from hunting them down.

The horse-faced man looked at Li Qingshan in the crowd like he was a dead man. He sipped his tea. Even if he could not obtain the spiritual ginseng, watching this lucky, young talent die to the dangers of the jianghu was a wonderful matter as well.

In the same restaurant he had fought the night before, Li Qingshan sat down and received the terrified gazes of the aristocrats and cups of wonderful wine. Just when he was about to drink the alcohol, he suddenly stopped and looked at the rippling liquid.

With his halt, the restaurant quietened down as well. An aristocrat asked carefully, “Sheriff Li, what’s wrong?”

Li Qingshan said nonchalantly, “The wine is poisoned!” He casually splashed the alcohol onto the ground, and a white mist immediately rose up. It only demonstrated the toxicity of the alcohol. The poison was odourless and traceless as well. If it were not for his awakened eyes and his caution, which allowed him to see the peculiarity of the wine, he probably would have been poisoned already.

The aristocrat became sheet-white. He had passed this cup of wine to Li Qingshan earlier, so he waved his hands frantically. “It’s not me!”

Li Qingshan leapt to his feat. Just when the aristocrat wanted to cry for help, he saw Li Qingshan look at a waiter on the side. “You’re the one who poisoned it!” This was his almost beastial instincts, his sharp senses towards killing intent and hostility.

“I don’t think I’ve seen him before. He’s not a waiter of this establishment,” said an aristocrat.

The waiter panicked and cried out for the injustice. Suddenly, he saw a fist hurling towards him. Before the punch had even arrived, the gust of wind had sucked his breath away. He could not afford to hide any longer, so he slid a knife out from his sleeve and stabbed it viciously at Li Qingshan’s abdomen.

With a bang and the shattering of bone, the waiter’s chest collapsed. His corpse flew out the building, landing in the streets below. He still grasped the knife firmly in his hand, but the blade was now bent.

Li Qingshan treated it like nothing before turning around. “Let’s keep drinking!” He knew that this could not even be considered as an appetizer for what would be coming next.

But was there anyone who was still in the mood to drink?!

Li Qingshan said, “Sir Ye, the sect master of the Dragon’s Gate sect has publicly attacked a government official, and he has slipped away. Have you considered putting out a warrant for his arrest?”

Ye Dachuan said, “Yes, yes, yes. I will definitely mention this matter in my official report to the prefect.”

“A nest of bandits like the Dragon’s Gate sect cannot remain. As the sheriff, I am willing to suppress the Dragon’s Gate sect and bring back Yang Anzhi. What do you think, sir?”

The aristocrats were horrified. The Dragon’s Gate sect was probably going to follow in the steps of the Black Wind stronghold. Fortunately, they had summoned their descendents back immediately.

Ye Dachuan looked at the sun in the sky. “Isn’t it too late?”

Li Qingshan said, “Thank you for your concern, sir. I will be right back!” Since he could not drink, he needed to find something to do. He would never spare the cause of all of this, the Dragon’s Gate sect. He would never give his enemies an opportunity to rest.

Comrade Lei Feng once taught us that we must treat our fellow comrades with the same warmth of spring, while we must treat our enemies with the same cruelty and mercilessness of harsh winter.¹

The Dragon’s Gate sect was located on the Dragon’s Gate mountain five kilometers from the city. Li Qingshan left the city gates and did not travel on the main road. He found the direction and traveled straight for the mountain. When he left the city, two black shadows tailed behind him, but they were not the senior brother and junior sister.

They just happened to be people of the jianghu who were close to Qingyang city and happened to hear the news regarding the spiritual ginseng. The waiter who poisoned the drink was their companion. They had been waiting downstairs the entire time, waiting for Li Qingshan to die of poison so that they could immediately flee with the spiritual ginseng. If it did not go to plan, they would attack Li Qingshan together.

However, their waiting was met with the waiter’s corpse thrown out of the restaurant, followed by Li Qingshan leaping out the window as well, rushing out of the city. They looked at each other and thought, He’s escaping. They could not help but pursue him.

Although it was five kilometers as the crow flew, it involved crossing mountains and ravines, so it was not just five kilometers. Li Qingshan took great strides, leaving behind a deep footprint with each step. Whenever he came across any obstacles, he would have to slow down or stop.

As it seemed, there was a reason why he had been labeled as clumsy. It was all because the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength focused on practising the body and not qi, so there was nothing that focused on movement. As a result, he could only run along like how he would normally, circulating his true qi in his feet so that he would speed up slightly.

But right now, his situation was rather different. His spine twisted in a strange manner as he constantly altered his posture as he ran; it was like he was stretching. His neck constantly twisted as well, and he gasped heavily through his mouth. His heart pounded thunderously as white steam rose from his body. It was actually vaporized sweat.

It should have never been so strenuous for him to run. He actually seemed like he was carrying a huge burden, but his steps moved faster and faster. As each step fell, it seemed lighter. His body was bent forward with his arms dangling down. He looked like a wild beast in human form as he ran through the forest, moving faster and faster.

In the dark forest, the vegetation rapidly approached him before being rapidly thrown behind him.

Suddenly, a steep mound over ten meters in height appeared before him. Originally, he would definitely stop and think about how to detour around it or climb up it.

But now, not only did he show no sign of stopping, but he even rushed towards the mound instead. As soon as he arrived below the mound, his body retracted, and he kicked off with his feet. Leaping off the ground, his arms extended forwards, grabbing two protruding rocks. With a tug, he leapt onto the mound.

He completed the entire motion in a single stroke; he was just like a vicious tiger crossing through the mountains. This move was the Tiger Demon Climbs the Mountain from the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging.

The black ox had already passed the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging to Li Qingshan. He had been studying it the entire time when he travelled back to Qingyang city. With his practise from the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength, it became much easier, so he grasped the method very quickly. As he ran, he experimented with the three most basic forms of the nine forms of the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging, the Tiger Demon Flexes its Spine, the Tiger Demon Stretches its Back, and the Tiger Demon Rubs its Head. These were the basics to training the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. The other forms built off this foundation.

Only now did he understand why the black ox only gave him this Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging after he had achieved the strength of an ox. It simply placed too great of a burden on his body. If he started off with the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging, his body probably would have collapsed immediately.

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1. Lei Feng again. Propaganda dude of the People’s Republic of China that everyone should be looking up to and idolise. Mentioned in chapter 9.

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Chapter 64 – The Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart

However, an increase of the burden on the body was not an issue at all for the current Li Qingshan. Instead, it was fantastic. Although the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength had granted him extraordinary strength, endurance, and defence, he felt like he wasted it most of the time.

He had great strength, but if he were slow, it would be useless since he could not land an attack. This was why he had been in danger when he faced Yang Anzhi.

Even if he could last for lengthy amounts of time with great endurance, battles of life and death were about critical moments. Anything could happen in the next instant. If he failed to kill in a single strike, the opponent could flee far away. Nobody would give their opponent the opportunity for a battle that lasted three days and three nights.

With tough defence, he could harass some masters who used their fists. However, if he came across wielders of sharp swords and blades, it would just be like how a needle could pierce leather. He might not be able to endure it, and getting beat up was always worse than beating someone up.

However, the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging solved these issues from the very source, allowing him to instantaneously erupt with his strength and granting him significant speed.

Apart from the Tiger Demon Climbs the Mountain, the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging had two other forms for movement, the Tiger Demon Leaps over the Ravine and the Tiger Demon Descends from the Mountain. These forms covered all of the movements of leaping up and down and pouncing forward and retreating. He would be just like a vicious tiger travelling through the forest, moving like wind.

Li Qingshan stopped, allowing his pounding heart to gradually settle down. He closed his eyes to comprehend the sensation from before as well as to wait.

The movement techniques of the two black figures were actually rather impressive. A while later, they emerged from the forest. Borrowing the bright moonlight, they spotted Li Qingshan on the mound with a single glance. At the same time, they felt a fierce, dangerous aura.

Li Qingshan stood up with his hands on his hips. “You’re just two third-rate masters, yet you’re still bold enough to chase me? How brave. Since you’ve come, you might as well leave your lives behind!” Before the two people could say anything, he immediately twisted and leapt down.

“The Tiger Demon Descends from the Mountain!”

The Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan! The two people immediately thought of Li Qingshan’s nickname. Li Qingshan was not the only one who found it to be awful. When the two of them heard it for the first time, they found it hilariously unsophisticated. However, as the black shadow approached them, neither of them could laugh anymore.

They only regretted listening to the rumor that roused their greed. At the same time, they had never thought the kid who was still wet behind his ears, Li Qingshan, would actually be so powerful. When Yang Anzhi released the news of the spiritual ginseng, he would never mention the shameful matter of his own defeat, and neither of them believed in the matter of Li Qingshan destroying the Black Wind stronghold alone because it was far too preposterous. All they saw was Li Qingshan returning to the city with two other, renowned masters and several hundred people.

It was already too late for them to flee.

“The Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart!” Li Qingshan formed claws with his hands and plunged them into their chests. With a grasp and a pluck, he dug out two, blood-red hearts that still thumped.

Aside from the three basic forms of training strength, Tiger Demon Flexes its Spine, the Tiger Demon Stretches its Back, and the Tiger Demon Rubs its Head, and the three forms for movements, the Tiger Demon Leaps over the Ravine, the Tiger Demon Climbs the Mountain, and the Tiger Demon Descends from the Mountain, the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging had three other forms purely for killing and injuring. They were the Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart, the Tiger Demons Rips up the Lamb, and the Tiger Demon’s Fierce Roar. It was countless times more brutal than the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength.

“Come, Xiao An!”

The porcelain jar opened, and Xiao An flew out. The blood-red colour all over him had faded, only leaving behind a hazy red. He had basically recovered his appearance of a white skeleton. Li Qingshan squeezed his hands and blood dripped out, landing on the white bone and immediately seeping in.

This was the so-called blood from a living person’s heart. This kind of cultivation method was as evil and horrifying as it could get.

However, Li Qingshan actually felt no discomfort doing this, and it was not only because these two people wanted to kill him. There was no mistake for him to kill them. He sniffed the heavy smell of blood and cruel delight welled up from the bottom of his heart. The red light in the depths of his eyes became dazzling.

From a normal person’s perspective, oxen were always rather simple and gentle creatures. Even if there were times when they were irritable, they could never be compared to tigers that hunted and fed on prey. The two fist styles named after these two beasts were the same.

If the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength could only strengthen his courageous nature, then the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging would be completely agitating the vicious and murderous nature within him. Those who were good at fighting liked to fight, and those who were good at killing liked to kill. That was how the world worked.

Li Qingshan rubbed Xiao An’s head with his bloody hands and said gently, “Come out and get some air!” Although he had no idea how a skeleton was supposed to get some air, Xiao An still climbed onto Li Qingshan’s shoulder happily.

Li Qingshan took off, but he had no idea that soon after he had left, another two people arrived. They were the horse-faced man and the woman in blue from the tea house. At the end of the day, they were still people who roamed through the jianghu regularly and could not be compared to the pampered sons and daughters of the Dragon’s Gate sect. Even the woman in blue only paled slightly at this sight.

“Hmph, it’s the three evils of Yao. Even these three pieces of trash want to get their hands on the spiritual ginseng. Senior brother, he has left the city to rampage through the Dragon’s Gate sect. This is a great opportunity for us. Once both sides are exhausted, we can strike and leave as soon as we get the spiritual ginseng. No one will be able to…”

“Shut up!” The horse-faced man crouched down and inspected the corpses. He heard the woman’s scheme and interrupted her with a darkened face. “Let’s go. Let’s go right now. Let’s get as far away from this place as possible!”

The woman called out, “What did you say?”

“Although the three evils of Yao aren’t any particularly impressive figures, they have some skill with their martial arts. Even if we ignore the fact that the third evil is skilled at poison, the first evil and second evil possess decent martial arts. If they work together, it’ll take quite the effort even for us to fend them off. However, right now when they were on guard, they could not even fend off a ‘Black Tiger Digs out the Heart’, getting their hearts dug out and dying because of that. This Li Qingshan is not someone we can handle. The rumor regarding the Black Wind stronghold is probably true,” the horse-faced man said calmly, but his voice trembled slightly. He could imagine just what end he would meet if he had been spurred on.

“We use hidden weapons to launch sneak attacks in the first place. Why would we confront him directly? As long as we maintain our distance with our movement technique, we’ll be completely fine. Senior brother, you’re far too cowardly. With risk comes reward. If we get the spiritual ginseng…” The woman chattered on, and her eyes lit up when she mentioned the spiritual ginseng.

Smack! There was a crisp slap across her face. The woman in blue clutched her face in disbelief. “You’ve actually hit me?!”

The horse-faced man said, “If you want to die, go by yourself. Don’t pull me into it. You’re more than welcome to tell this to master. Let’s just see whether master punishes or praises me!” He turned around and left as soon as he finished his words.

The woman was momentarily taken aback, but she still ended up chasing him. “Senior brother, how can you be like that!?”

The Dragon’s Gate sect towered over the ground. The mountain terrain was precipitous. Three sides were vertical cliffs; in particular, the east side seemed like it had been carved out with an axe. The cliffs several hundred meters in height were completely vertical. Even monkeys would struggle to get a footing and climb up them.

However, at this moment, on the dark, eastern rock face, something rapidly flew upwards as it flickered with sparks.

At a closer glance, it was actually a black shadow clambering up the rock face. Its ten, bent fingers dug into the rock like iron claws, producing clusters of sparks. It was Li Qingshan.

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Chapter 65 – Climbing High and Seeing Far

After killing the three evils of Yao, Li Qingshan rushed through the forest, no longer hindered by anything. If he came across a river, he would cross it. If he came across a mountain, he would traverse it. His usage of the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging became even more ingenious. He arrived below the eastern rock face of the Dragon’s Gate mountain in under two hours. The tall mountain stood like a sharp sword before him. After a moment of consideration, he sped up and rushed towards the rock face.

Since he was several hundred meters in the air, fierce wind whistled in his ears, but he ignored it completely. His eyes narrowed as he nervously searched the rock face for something he could grab. Even if it were the slightest protrusion, he could use it for grip, and when there was nothing for him to grip onto, he would just viciously grab at the smooth surface.

If the precipice was rotated ninety degrees, then Li Qingshan would have his back hunched and all four limbs against the ground, just like a tiger. Aside from that, it would seem like he really was on flat land, moving about freely and easily. Only he knew that he was basically treading on thin ice, facing constant danger. Even the slightest mistake would make him fall from several hundred meters in the air. Even with his tough muscles and bones, his body would still shatter. This was no less dangerous than when he had rushed into the Black Wind stronghold alone.

However, he was fearless. Instead, it got his blood pumping. The extreme danger squeezed out all of the potential in his body. His mind, his willpower, and his might had reached unprecedented levels.

He finally understood the joys of the mountaineers who risked their lives to scale great cliffs, and he realized why people would like extreme sports. Challenging difficulties and dangers to achieve what others could not achieve had always been the nature and instincts of hot-blooded men.

He ignored the constant signals of exhaustion from his body, as well as the creaking of his bones from overwork. He overburdened his body, which instead gave him a delight similar to releasing his soul. He felt like he was flying.

Suddenly, a ravine appeared before him. He leapt as hard as he could, and only when he saw the various structures did he realise that this was not a ravine, but the peak of a mountain. The world tilted in his eyes once more, and he landed on the cliff on his knees. He stood up and back. The mountains were as numerous as beasts in a herd.

The tiny Qingyang city was located in the embrace of the herd as if it were constantly in danger of being ripped to shreds. This was not a world where people could live peacefully. It was filled with unimaginable danger.

He had once had countless complaints about the years he spent in the Crouching Ox village. He missed the comfortable room of his former life, his easy lifestyle where he could eat various things and spend an entire day in front of the computer. Even after the black ox had appeared and granted him supposedly great power, he had been hesitating inside, comparing the two lifestyles to see which one was better.

Only tonight did he suddenly find the answer, severing his last shred of doubt. Spreading his arms as if he were hugging the world, he said, “This is the life I want! Here is the wonderland of adventurers!”

The chilly winds buffeted the teenager’s clothes. On this cliff, he brought an end to the matters of his past life and the old dream that haunted him for fifteen years.

I am Li Qingshan, the Li from wood and child, and the Qingshan from sufficient are the green mountains overgrown.¹

Xiao An also crawled out from the porcelain jar and stared at Li Qingshan blankly. Although Xiao An did not know what he was thinking, he seemed to be able to feel Li Qingshan’s resolve. He thought to himself, No matter which path you take, I will walk to the end of it with you!

Li Qingshan turned around with resolution and made his way towards the structures. That was where the Dragon’s Gate sect resided.

It was already quite late, but lantern light still illuminated the Soaring Dragon hall of the Dragon’s Gate sect.

The sect master, Yang Anzhi, sat at the front, and beside him was the pale-faced Yang Jun who was filled with resentment. The elders and core disciples formed two rows on the sides. All of their faces were sunken, and none of them uttered a word.

Even the roaring flames of a forge could not warm up their hearts.

Li Qingshan had destroyed the Black Wind stronghold. This piece of news weighed on everyone’s chests like a boulder. The Dragon’s Gate sect was still rather impressive. Li Qingshan had only returned to Qingyang city at dusk, and by night, they had already received the news. It was fast.

Yang Jun roared with a twisted face, “This is impossible! It must be a rumor! It has only been a day. It’s not like the Black Wind stronghold is made out of paper! How could they be destroyed?!”

“Jun’er, don’t say anything more. It’s Qingyang city that raised an army, and Liu Hong and Huang Binghu worked together, so it’s no surprise that the Black Wind stronghold was destroyed. However, I never thought it would happen so quickly!” Yang Anzhi truly lived up to his position as a sect master. Despite the major news, he managed to maintain much of his composure.

An elder said, “Never had I thought that Liu Hong and Huang Binghu would work together to help this kid. Senior brother, what do we do now? Many of the aristocrats have summoned back their descendants.”

“What help that kid? They did it for the Black Wind stronghold’s wealth and treasure. They’re not going to spare the Dragon’s Gate sect. This is basically an unprecedented disaster for our Dragon’s Gate sect!”

The Dragon’s Gate sect had been established for many years. Although it had never been a large sect of the jianghu, it possessed a very deep foundation in the region of Qingyang. The combination of martial arts and authority formed the absolute power for domination. Right now, it was like the local tyrant who had it easy had suddenly received the news that the world was rebelling against them. It felt like the world was ending.

“Senior brother, I’ve been saying since a very long time ago to restrain our disciples; we needed to prevent them from running freely. This will end up provoking powerful enemies sooner or later, leading to a great disaster for our Dragon’s Gate sect.” Although the disciplinary elder was speaking to Yang Anzhi, he looked at Yang Jun. The others showed resentment as well.

“You old coot, what the hell are you saying? Your stupid son raped someone’s wife and daughter, and when they came knocking, who was it that stood up for him?!” Yang Jun was aggravated. Normally, he would have never spoken to his seniors like this, but now that he had suddenly lost his martial arts and the Dragon’s Gate sect that had always protected him might be done for, his mindset changed. He no longer cared about the consequences.

“You!” The disciplinary elder’s face became bright red.

“All of you shut up!” Yang Anzhi’s voice reverberated through the hall. His inner force could not be underestimated. “Is now the time for us to bicker between us? No matter what has happened in the past, the priority right now is for us to handle this crisis. I’ve already sent disciples to guard the mountain path and to spread news by lighting beacons. If anyone launches a large scale attack on the mountain, it’ll be impossible to hide from us. If we really can’t stop them, then we can only retreat through the secret tunnel in the ancestral hall first with our belongings, abandoning the Dragon’s Gate mountain and conserving our strength.”

At the end of the day, the Dragon’s Gate sect was still a sect that had remained for many generations. Apart from the young masters of those aristocrats, they had many other loyal disciples who would serve them with devotion. However, these disciples never would have imagined that their sect master was already ready to abandon them.

Abandon the Dragon’s Gate mountain! Everyone in the hall was shocked. They had already thought of this worst-case scenario, but now that they had suddenly heard it, they found it difficult to accept.

“I’m only talking about the worst-case scenario, and it’s a temporary measure. I’ve already sent messages to all of the other fellow practitioners of martial arts in the martial arts society, whether they are righteous or evil. Everyone knows about the spiritual ginseng already. Before long, Qingyang city will be filled with people of the jianghu. Not only will that kid be dead for sure, but it’s likely that Liu Hong and Huang Binghu will meet an untimely end as well. We only need to conserve our strength, and before long, we’ll make a comeback.”

“Impressive planning, sect master Yang!” Li Qingshan pushed open the heavy doors and stepped into the hall along with the frigid wind and snow. His gaze stabbed straight at Yang Anzhi. “I had thought you would flee, but I don’t have to worry now. It doesn’t matter whether I’m dead for sure, but you sure are.” It was as if he treated the hall full of people as lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

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1. Li in Chinese is 李. If you haven’t realised it yet, Chinese is filled with homophones, characters that sound similar or exactly the same but hold completely different meanings. As a result, breaking up a character by its radicals is common in order to convey what word it is. 李 is composed of wood, 木, and child, 子, hence the Li from wood and child. As mentioned in chapter 1, his name, Qingshan, means green mountains, which is derived from the poem.

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Chapter 66 – Instantly Slaughtering the Dragon’s Gate Sect

Yang Anzhi’s expression changed drastically. He actually failed to sense Li Qingshan’s arrival at all. When Li Qingshan raised his feet and took a step, there was no longer any clumsiness like before. Instead, it was light and gentle like a feline creature’s steps.

The other elders were still wondering who he was. Yang Jun roared out, “Li Qingshan!”

Everyone stood up and drew their swords at the same time. All of them tried to get in a word in a messy manner. “What are the disciples on post doing?” “How did you get here?” “Who else is there?” “All of you, come out!”

“You don’t have to worry about how I got here. I’ve come alone today!” Li Qingshan looked around and saw many people he did not recognise, so he said, “I’ve come today just to deal with the chief culprit. The others are welcome to leave the hall. I’ll give you ten minutes.” He turned to the side and cleared the way out of the hall, but what answered him was a series of swishes from drawing swords from sheaths. The cold gleam of the swords flickered constantly.

The disciplinary elder said, “You really are looking for your own doom, aren’t you? You’ve actually infiltrated the mountain alone. Do you really think our Dragon’s Gate sect can be trifled with that easily?” He was responsible for punishment and was known for his coldness in the Dragon’s Gate sect. He looked at Li Qingshan like one of the disciples who had ended up in his hands.

“Kill him! He’s the great enemy of our Dragon’s Gate sect!” “If it weren’t for him, the Dragon’s Gate sect wouldn’t be like this right now, yet he has actually delivered himself to us.” “Don’t spare him so easily. I want to cut off his arms and legs.”

The people who were just about to turn against themselves banded together over the appearance of the ‘source of trouble’, Li Qingshan. They wanted to vent all of their anger on him, tempted to cut him into pieces and tear him to shreds.

In their eyes, Li Qingshan, who had come alone, was already on the chopping block, allowing them to cut or torture him however they wanted.

Only Yang Anzhi remained silent, clasping the hilt of his sword firmly as he sensed Li Qingshan’s changes. Li Qingshan seemed like an iron club before, possessing great strength but lacking flexibility and sharpness. However, Li Qingshan now seemed like he had gained an edge, completely exhibiting his edge to make people look away.

Li Qingshan said calmly, “Then the Dragon’s Gate sect will be the next Black Wind stronghold!” Killing intent roused in his heart, and an aura of murderousness flooded from his body, rushing towards the people of the Dragon’s Gate sect.

What a heavy aura of murderousness!

Everyone shivered inside. They felt the temperature in the hall abruptly plummet by a few degrees, while the crippled Yang Jun almost fainted on the spot.

Li Qingshan used this opportunity to unleash the Tiger Demon Leaps over the Ravine. He lunged towards the closest disciple of the Dragon’s Gate sect. He crossed a distance of over a dozen paces in just a single pounce. With the Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart, he reached over with a claw, and his five fingers roared through the air. It was frightening.

Even a lion would use its full strength to catch a rabbit, never using its advantage to blabber to its enemies.

The disciple never thought that Li Qingshan would strike so suddenly. Stricken by fear, he could not use any of his martial arts at all. He only watched as Li Qingshan’s hand plunged into his chest and dug out a blood heart before tossing it aside casually.

Xiao An leapt up and caught the heart, absorbing the essence blood from it. Ever since Li Qingshan found out there was a chance for him to recover Xiao An’s body of flesh and blood, he dedicated himself to this task like it was a holy ceremony.

The flames in Xiao An’s eye sockets danced around, sweeping past the people in the hall. As long as he killed these people, he would be a step closer to his objective! No matter what the price was, he wanted to appear before Li Qingshan in a body of flesh and blood once again.

Originally, the people of the Dragon’s Gate sect returned to their senses the moment Li Qingshan attacked and killed the disciple, but they came to a sudden halt once again. They stared at this strange sight in horror. Beside the wavering candlelight, a skeleton held and ate a human’s heart. Only a single word appeared in their heads. D- Demon!

Since Xiao An no longer possessed the ability to hide himself, there was no need for him to keep hiding. Li Qingshan drew the treasured sword that had been passed down through the Dragon’s Gate sect, the Soaring Dragon sword, and stabbed it into the ground. “I’ve long heard that the Dragon’s Gate sect is known for their sword techniques. Xiao An, why don’t you learn from them?”

Xiao An tossed the heart aside and grabbed the Soaring Dragon sword. The sword was just a little too long for him, but as soon as he grabbed the hilt, his bearing changed completely; it was like he was a supreme swordsman. The tip of the sword pointed at the ground diagonally as every single person in the hall felt like they had been enveloped in the sword moves.

The disciplinary elder was pale. He no longer possessed the confidence from before. As a sword sect, no matter who it was, they still understood the sword.

The person who left behind the sword moves and sword intent in the painting scroll could draw out a spiritual artifact. He was someone that the black ox had praised. Even when Xiao An had only comprehended part of a set of sword moves from it, it surpassed all the sword moves that a second-rate sect like the Dragon’s Gate sect possessed.

The marble tiles under Li Qingshan suddenly shattered. He had already vanished from his previous location. He used the Tiger Demon Leaps over the Ravine again, ignoring everyone else in the hall and going straight for the sect master, Yang Anzhi.

Yang Anzhi bellowed out, “Kill him!” His voice jolted everyone back to their senses. They were all swordsmen who had trained with the sword for many years, so they would never be truly stunned. They knew that this was a moment of life and death, so their eyes reddened as they unleashed their full strength. Over a dozen swords stabbed mightily towards Li Qingshan who was in the air, stuck on a fixed path.

Li Qingshan did not try to dodge. He did not even glance at the swords. His eyes narrowed completely like a brutal wild beast’s as he stared right at Yang Anzhi.

Yang Anzhi finally drew his sword. It was actually another glowing, treasured sword. Although it was worse than the Soaring Dragon sword, it could still cut through rock and metal with ease. He produced seven swords, erupting with seven blurs that flew towards Li Qingshan. Even if other swords could not even penetrate Li Qingshan’s skin, this sword could definitely claim his life.

Just when Li Qingshan wanted to attack, Xiao An suddenly rushed over from below. The Soaring Dragon sword also transformed into seven swords, unleashing seven blurs that collided with Yang Anzhi’s attack, producing a series of clings and clangs.

Behind Xiao An, the group of elders and disciples all froze like they had become statues, maintaining their postures of stabbing towards Li Qingshan. Blood spurted wildly from terrifying wounds on their necks, chests, and foreheads at almost the same time as they collapsed on the ground.

In the moment that Li Qingshan had moved, Xiao An had moved as well with the Soaring Dragon sword in his hand, sticking close to the ground instead and moving through the hall. Just when everyone unleashed their full-powered attacks at Li Qingshan, he took advantage of their huge openings and instantly killed all of the elders and disciples before receiving Yang Anzhi’s sword.

He was not a child but a demonic cultivator who practised an ability from the demonic path. The Soaring Dragon sword was not a toy either but a terrifying weapon that could claim lives.

Li Qingshan had once said that he probably could slaughter the entire Black Wind stronghold alone when Xiao An reached the initial achievement of the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty. Only now did he witness just how powerful Xiao An had become after comprehending the set of sword moves from the spiritual artifact whilst wielding a weapon like the Soaring Dragon sword. “This kid!”

Both of their strengths gradually surpassed the level of second-rate masters. Now this was the jianghu. Before absolute martial might, additional numbers basically did nothing.

Clang! The sword was knocked away, embedded in a beam in the hall. Yang Anzhi clutched his sword-wielding hand as he quickly retreated. All of the blood in his face had drained away. He no longer possessed the bearing of the master of a sect. “What are you!?” Xiao An’s strength was not something he could rival.

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Chapter 67 – Assassination of the Flying Sword

Yang Anzhi looked at the hall full of corpses. The legacy of the Dragon’s Gate sect had actually ended in his hands in the blink of an eye.

This was because Li Qingshan had only been a weakling in his eyes that day. Against weaklings, it was not called provoking but making things difficult for them. However, today, he had become the one who had things made difficult.

Clashing with Xiao An, Yang Anzhi had instead managed to evade death, allowing him to avoid Li Qingshan’s full-powered lunge. Otherwise, if Li Qingshan managed to unleash his move, he was confident of seeing just what colour Yang Anzhi’s heart would be. As for Xiao An, he had instantly killed over a dozen people and repelled Yang Anzhi’s sword, so he was spent as well. He was unable to pursue immediately.

“Father, save me!” Yang Jun looked at the two ‘monsters’ that were inches away and no longer possessed any of his haughtiness anymore. He extended his hand towards Yang Anzhi for help in complete fear.

However, Yang Anzhi showed no intentions of stopping. He shot towards the back of the hall in a flash. He could have more sons, but he only had a single life. He cut his losses decisively in an extremely vicious manner.

Despair immediately overwhelmed Yang Jun. He closed his eyes and only felt a gust of wind blow past him, but he felt no pain. He opened his eyes again, and all he saw was Li Qingshan and Xiao An ignoring him completely, shooting past him and chasing after Yang Anzhi.

Yang Anzhi’s movement technique was impressive. Once he managed to get far away, catching up to him would be difficult.

Spared, Yang Jun immediately moved his feet, running madly towards the exit, completely disregarding his heavy clothes that had become drenched in sweat. He constantly chanted inside, I have to get revenge! Revenge!

Spurt! A bone hand stabbed his back and pierced him all the way through. Yang Jun looked at his chest in disbelief before staggering a few steps forwards and collapsing with a thud.

As it turned out, Xiao An had seen how Yang Jun wanted to flee. With a swing of his left arm, his arm had shot out like a hidden weapon, killing him.

The bone arm dislodged itself and flew towards the back of the hall as if it were drawn along by some invisible force.

The back of the main ball was the ancestral hall of the Dragon’s Gate sect. Portraits of the past sect masters were enshrined there. The first sect master’s portrait was the largest, almost three meters tall. It detailed a life-sized swordsman, wielding the Soaring Dragon sword and overlooking the entire ancestral hall with an indifferent expression.

It was said that he arrived in Qingyang and saw how criminals ran amuck, killing the innocent, so he killed his way into the bandit’s nest alone with a single sword, slaughtering them all. He was known as the Soaring Dragon Swordsman. He had gained his renown for a similar reason as Li Qingshan. The citizens and aristocrats of Qingyang were grateful to him and asked for him to remain, so he founded a sect on the Dragon’s Gate mountain, passing down his martial arts and establishing this ‘Dragon’s Gate sect’.

However, he probably never imagined that something like this would happen today. No, perhaps he did imagine it. The secret tunnel of the Dragon’s Gate sect was located behind the altar below his portrait. As long as Yang Anzhi could make it in there, he would be able to pass through the heart of the mountain and flee for his life from the hidden exit. That was his objective.

Yang Anzhi’s confidence in his movement technique shattered with the whistling of wind that constantly drew closer. All he needed was a single moment, and he would suffer the same fate as the elders and disciples in the hall.

Perhaps he had lost his mind due to the fear, as he actually called out, “Save me, founding ancestor!”

Li Qingshan immediately pulled back the claw that reached towards Yang Anzhi’s back. He was worried that Yang Anzhi would be similar to Xiong Xiangwu, possessing a trump card that completely surpassed regular practitioners of martial arts. From his experiences so far, the items within the boundary of spiritual artifacts or techniques such as spells were rare in the world.

These techniques could be very weak, or they could be very strong. It was impossible for him to gain an accurate estimate.

As expected, a tiny sword enshrined on the altar suddenly lit up brightly after Yang Anzhi spoke and stabbed towards Li Qingshan.

The tiny sword glistened with golden light, but it was possible to tell with a single glance that it was a wooden sword with golden paint. The startling light it had erupted with illuminated the pitch-black ancestral hall as it turned into a golden streak of light.

When the sword was still several meters away, Li Qingshan felt a prick on his forehead and developed the feeling that no matter how he dodged, he would be unable to avoid the assassination of the sword.

Yang Anzhi’s heart eased up slightly. This was a secret that had only been passed down between the sect masters. When their founding ancestor passed away, he did not leave behind a corpse but instead this tiny sword. It was extremely similar to the ‘armament liberation’ of daoism. Before he had passed away, he had ordered his first disciple, who was also Yang Anzhi’s ancestor, to consecrate and pray to the tiny sword daily, without missing a single day. Once a powerful enemy attacked, they could call upon it for assistance. It would definitely stave off the danger, but it could only be used once.

Although Yang Anzhi had also prayed to it for several decades, he never believed in this rumor. He had inspected the tiny sword before. It was just an extremely ordinary wooden sword. Any metal sword could cleave it in half.

However, he dared not deny this rumor outrightly either. He had also considered how he was supposed to use it in the past. However, he considered that the Iron Fist school and the Drawn Reins village would definitely launch a large-scale attack on the mountain with the people from the district magistrate, so how was a sword that could only be used once play any sort of decisive role against several hundred people? He had waited until this moment of life and death before finally giving it a try, regardless of the consequences, and it actually worked.

Li Qingshan was aware that he could not confront it directly, so he twisted his body in the air. The tiny sword seemed to be intelligent, making a turn in the air and producing a sharp swish, shooting towards Li Qingshan with lightning speed once again. The sensation on Li Qingshan’s forehead deepened as a chill flooded his face.

Suddenly, a sword shot out and stabbed the tiny sword. Xiao An had interfered in an attempt to rescue Li Qingshan. However, not only did his strike that could pierce metal and rocks fail to cut through the tiny, wooden sword, but he instead felt a tremendous force rebounding back through his sword. The tough Soaring Dragon sword cracked into pieces and fragments shot out everywhere. Xiao An had been knocked away as well, slamming into a pillar.

However, the tiny sword’s glow dimmed, pausing slightly before stabbing towards Li Qingshan again. As long as he was still alive, it would never stop.

Li Qingshan had already retreated to a corner of the hall. Using the time that Xiao An had earned him, he grabbed the Cursive Sword Calligraphy and unfurled it, channelling his true qi into it desperately.

At this critical moment, a descending diagonal stroke lit up and shot out. It collided with the glimmering, tiny sword.

There were no tremendous explosions. Instead, a ring of light expanded from the centre of the hall like miniature sun that had suddenly risen up.

However, Li Qingshan experienced a thunderous sound. His ears rang and blood flowed from them.

The light dispersed very quickly. The portraits of the sect masters had all turned into dust, floating in the surroundings. Li Qingshan’s clothes had suffered the same fate. At a closer glance, the walls and ground were peppered with thousands of thin, sword strokes.

The tiny sword had unleashed thousands of sword qi that were thin like rays of light when it shattered, silently penetrating everything in the hall.

Even Li Qingshan could not help but become stunned by this might. The power of the flying sword had left a deep impression in his heart.

Yang Anzhi had been standing near the secret tunnel. Seeing the assassination fail, he immediately turned around and leapt into the secret tunnel. As long as he entered the secret tunnel and activated the mechanism, a huge rock of tremendous weight would seal the entrance. No one would be able to chase him anymore.

Li Qingshan had been forced into a corner, while Xiao An had collided into a pillar. At that moment, none of them could reach him. He was about to get away just like this.

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Chapter 68 – A Quick Trip

As soon as Yang Anzhi had taken a step, he collapsed on the ground like lightning had struck him, and he trembled all over. Blood oozed out from every single pore of his body. Before long, he had become drenched in blood.

The sharp sword qi did not distinguish between friend or foe. Li Qingshan remained unscathed because of the true qi protecting his body. Yang Anzhi had only practised inner force, which was qualitatively different from true qi, so it was unable to stop the sword qi.

The entire ancestral hall began to creak. Dust and wood chips drifted down. The sword qi had destroyed the entire structure, so it was about to collapse.

With tonnes of wood and earth falling down, even Li Qingshan was afraid of biting off more than he could chew. “Xiao An, leave quickly!” However, he directly charged towards Yang Anzhi.

The violent collapse of the ancestral hall could be heard from over five kilometers away. Dust blanketed the entire Dragon’s Gate sect, immediately alarming all of the disciples standing guard. They all rushed up the mountain and made their way over.

The main hall at the front was shrouded in dust. Li Qingshan’s figure appeared, holding a heart.

Xiao An lowered his head in shame. If it were not for him, who had forcefully received Yang Anzhi’s attack earlier, he would have never had the chance to flee to the ancestral hall, and Li Qingshan would have never risked so much danger.

Li Qingshan rubbed Xiao An’s head. “It’s fine!” He was just like a father spoiling his child, an elder brother doting on his younger brother.

The two polar opposite bearings of brutality and warmth appeared on him simultaneously. It was extremely conflicting yet also making perfect sense.

With the Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart, he had retrieved the hearts of over a dozen masters of the Dragon’s Gate sect. After Xiao An absorbed them, the flames in his eye sockets became much brighter. Whether it be his strength or his speed, they had both increased substantially. He progressed so rapidly that it truly lived up to its name as a superhuman ability.

Li Qingshan removed the spiritual artifact sword that was slightly worse than the Soaring Dragon sword from the beam. However, it was also much smaller and shorter than the Soaring Dragon sword, so it was more suitable for Xiao An to unleash the power of his sword techniques.

Next, Li Qingshan searched through the Dragon’s Gate sect and found a set of clothes to wear. However, he did not find a treasury like in the Black Wind stronghold. After all, the Dragon’s Gate sect would not accumulate so much gold and silverware for no reason. The Black Wind stronghold only had so much because they were bandits. Stolen goods were difficult to sell, which was why they had stored it in the treasury.

However, he did find over a dozen medicinal bottles. They were labelled with names like Nine Ginseng Pill of Jade Dew, Deer’s Fetus Pill of Bone Transformation, and so on. Although there were no wondrous pills or medicines of immortals, they had still been refined at great costs and with great effort for the Dragon’s Gate sect to nurture their disciples. Although their effects were not on par with the spiritual ginseng or spiritual alcohol, they completely surpassed alcohol that had been steeped with ginseng. It was quite the harvest.

However, his greatest gain came from the body of the young master, Yang Jun. It was a stack of silver notes, worth several tens of thousand taels. Yang Anzhi had already been prepared to retreat, so he brought all of his possessions with him, handing it to his only son to take care of, just in case. However, he never expected Li Qingshan to come so quickly and so ferociously.

The disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect all arrived. When they saw how the ancestral hall had collapsed, they looked at one another speechlessly. “W- what has happened?”

They rushed into the main hall and immediately became stunned by the horrific sight. Corpses laid around with a hole in each of their chests. Only a single figure stood there with his back towards them.

A disciple gathered the courage to shout, “Who are you!?”

Li Qingshan patted the porcelain jar, comforting the fidgeting Xiao An. He turned around and said, “I am Li Qingshan. The Dragon’s Gate sect has already been destroyed. Please all scatter!” With that, he made his way out of the hall.

The bandits of the Black Wind mountain were sinful, so he had to kill them all, while the people in the main hall had already treated him as an enemy, wanting to take his life, so they could not be spared either. However, these regular disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect had only been used as sacrificial pawns. Even if he wanted to help Xiao An recover his body as soon as possible, he could not go around killing the innocent.

Of course, if there were any disciples who dared to draw their swords and attack him, he would show no mercy. Swordsmen had to be ready to die by the sword, while murderers had to be mentally prepared for being murdered as well.

Li Qingshan passed through the several dozen disciples of the Dragon’s Gate sect. They all moved aside, forming a path for him.

Just when Li Qingshan was about to reach the door, someone drew their sword with a swish and roared out, “I’ll kill you!” They charged at Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan glanced back at him indifferently, and the disciple halted. The gaze filled with killing intent was like a sharp sword, stabbing into his heart. The sword in his hand dropped to the ground with a clang, and he collapsed on his knees. He said, “You’re not a human, but a demon, a demon!”

Li Qingshan did not pay too much attention to it and made his way out easily. He took in a deep breath; this was the end to another grievance.

On the lone peak, the group of disciples followed behind Li Qingshan as they trembled. Li Qingshan arrived before a cliff and leapt off, vanishing into the snowy, windy darkness.

There was a saying that it was easier to go up a mountain than to come down from one. Compared to climbing the mountain when he came, Li Qingshan’s path down was even more dangerous. He used the form of the Tiger Demon Descends from the Mountain and controlled his entire body. He carefully used every bit of strength within him. If he used a little too much or a little too little, a fate of a shattered body would be awaiting him.

However, with his experience from last time, he managed to climb down the mountain safely. He became more familiar with the usage of the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. Just as Li Qingshan was having the time of his life, his stomach suddenly growled loudly. An intense feeling of hunger attacked. He had covered so much ground the night before when he rushed to the Black Wind stronghold and fought for such a long time, yet he had not been as hungry as now.

He sprinted wildly along the ground once more, returning to Qingyang city. He was met with shut city gates, but with a leap, he scaled them and returned to the restaurant.

The restaurant was well-lit, and the banquet had yet to disperse. Everyone drank their alcohol tasteless as they chatted out of boredom, waiting for Li Qingshan’s news.

Li Qingshan suddenly appeared before them. Everyone even wondered whether he had gone to the Dragon’s Gate sect at all, as he had left and returned in less than two hours. That was not even enough time for regular people to make it to the Dragon’s Gate sect.

Although Li Qingshan had used snow to clean off the traces of blood on him, the sanguine smell was so heavy that it would not disperse.

Ye Dachuan said, “Qingshan!”

Li Qingshan said, “Please remain seated, sir. The Dragon’s Gate sect has already been destroyed. Yang Anzhi, Yang Jun, and the group of criminals have all been cleaned up. I’ve let the other disciples scatter by themselves.”

Everyone in the restaurant gasped. If they had not been deterred by Li Qingshan’s might, they basically wanted to question whether he was telling the truth at all. What kind of speed was this? When he went to destroy the Black Wind stronghold, the journey to and back had taken an entire day and night.

Ye Dachuan exclaimed, “So quickly!”

Li Qingshan nodded. Although it had only been a day, he had already become much more powerful. First, he had the powerful support from Xiao An, who had achieved something with the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty. Secondly, he himself had begun practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging, which converted his strength into killing power.

The only person present who could sense this change completely was the master of the Iron Fist school, Liu Hong. He buried his head deeply into the table. Only like that could he hide his shock. He felt that the Li Qingshan right now was a divine weapon that had just ground out an edge, exhibiting its unprecedented, dazzling gleam.

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Chapter 69 – A First-Rate Master

Originally, Liu Hong was still very reluctant to accept his defeat to Li Qingshan. He felt that Li Qingshan was harassing him because he did not use a weapon. Liu Hong knew how to use the blade too. Only when Li Qingshan destroyed the Black Wind stronghold alone did he truly accept his defeat, but he only treated Li Qingshan as someone talented and slightly better than himself. After all, Li Qingshan did receive help from another master.

But now, he had a feeling that as long as Li Qingshan wanted to, he could take his life in a single move. Let alone fighting back, Liu Hong would not even have the opportunity to flee. This was the instincts of an experienced member of the jianghu. It had helped him avoid danger many times, and it would not be wrong.

Did he become a first-rate master already!? That’s impossible. It has only been a day. However, he could not deny the reality presented before him. He wondered whether reporting the matter of the spiritual ginseng to the main branch of the Iron Fist sect in the Clear River prefecture was the correct decision or not. The main branch leader would definitely send people over. Everyone knew the value of a spiritual ginseng.

However, even if he did not do that, the news would spread to the Clear River prefecture very soon under Yang Anzhi’s attempts of dissemination. The people of jianghu would gather here very soon.

Li Long had also attended the celebration banquet. Looking at the teenager who had emerged from the same Crouching Ox village as him being daring and filled with energy, respected by all of these aristocrats, even he himself was unable to describe whether he was feeling admiration or envy. His emotions had become a complete mess.

However, he could closely sense the changes to Liu Hong’s expression, so he asked, “Master, are you alright?”

Li Qingshan heard this as well, so he toasted, “Old hero Liu, I’ve left in too much of a hurry earlier, so I’ve destroyed the drinking mood. Please accept this toast as an apology.”

Liu Hong stood up in a hurry. “Sigh, Qingshan, are you ridiculing me? What hero? Only the old part is true. The jianghu belongs to you youngsters. Xiao Long, get up, quick. You two share the same hometown, so you should drink more with each other. I’ll have to trouble Qingshan with my disciple in the future. Please take good care of him.”

Everyone’s expressions became strange. The Iron Fist school was widespread across the entire Clear River prefecture. They were truly a large organisation, yet he wanted an outsider to take care of his own disciple.

Li Qingshan was surprised as well. He smiled. “Sure!” and drank all of his alcohol. It was clearly an extremely ordinary decision, yet it made people cheer loudly.

Li Qingshan coped with the situation, and his stomach grumbled. Many people smiled before quickly hiding their smiles again.

Ye Dachuan said, “Quick, sit down and eat something. And you go, get the kitchen to send up more alcohol and dishes.” His liking of Li Qingshan grew the more he looked at him. As long as this ‘sheriff Li’ remained, he could easily suppress both sides of the jianghu in Qingyang city, allowing him to live up to his reputation as the district magistrate. And, apart from Li Qingshan’s strength and magnanimity, he had courtesy and knew when he could do what. He was not like those arrogant teenagers who cared for nobody else. Sometimes, he was so knowledgeable that he did not seem like a youth at all.

Li Qingshan had no idea what Ye Dachuan was thinking. Right now, all he could see was the table full of alcohol and dishes. He truly cared for nobody else. At the start, he maintained his basic dining etiquette, but after eating a few mouthfuls, he could no longer care that much. He just spread his cheeks and began munching. He truly wolfed it down.

With a stroke of his chopsticks, a dish would become empty. This was also due to his ingenious use of his martial arts. Ordinary people could not achieve that. At the same time, he ate with great meticulousness. He would chew and grind any food that ended up in his mouth to pieces. He was even more effective than people who chewed their food carefully and swallowed slowly.

In a single bite, almost half of a roast chicken vanished. He did not even spit out the bones, grinding them up and swallowing them with everything else. In just a short while, an entire roast chicken was gone.

Everyone watched on dumbfoundedly. They had never seen someone eat like that in their lives.

Before long, Li Qingshan had finished half the table of dishes and alcohol, but he did not feel full at all. His stomach was like a bottomless furnace, digesting and absorbing the food rapidly and converting it to energy before delivering it to the various parts of his body.

A series of cheers even gradually arose in the restaurant. “Young hero Li sure is valiant!” “What young hero? It’s sheriff. With a hero like sheriff Li protecting us, do we still have to be afraid of any bandits or criminals?”

A single person ate while a group of people watched and cheered him on. Even Li Qingshan himself found this to be rather strange. He knew his table manners were nowhere close to being any good. Before these aristocrats, who lived lavishly and emphasised on appearance, he could definitely be labelled as a ‘country bumpkin’ or a ‘starving ghost’.

However, most of these praises were actually sincere. If an ordinary person had eaten so much, they would have been drowned out by gazes of scorn a long time ago, but Li Qingshan was no ordinary person. Instead, he was someone powerful who had rampaged through two major organisations of Qingyang. Everyone’s evaluation of him immediately underwent a one-eighty, describing him as magnanimous and domineering.

Li Qingshan stuffed himself as the alcohol and dishes were delivered in a constant stream. Only after three tables of food did he finally stop.

It was late, so everyone dispersed. There were people who automatically arranged a dwelling for him. He had been allocated quite a large courtyard within Qingyang city.

Even he himself had no idea how much alcohol he had drunk. With his body size and alcohol tolerance, he felt rather drunk. As soon as he returned to his courtyard, he collapsed on the bed and mumbled, “Xiao An.” before falling asleep. He slept extremely soundly. If it were not for Xiao An’s presence, he would have never been bold enough to drink and sleep so freely. He would be forced to be on his guard constantly.

This was the terrifying aspect after becoming a target for everyone. If this continued for long periods of times, no matter how great your martial arts were, your mind would deteriorate and become exhausted, making it even more impossible to practise abilities or martial arts.

Xiao An carefully took off his shoes and clothes, placing him in bed and covering him with a blanket as if it were a holy procedure. After, he held onto his sword as he sat by the bedside like a guard. Perhaps Li Qingshan’s actions that night managed to scare away a lot of people, or perhaps there were still gazes observing in the darkness, but Li Qingshan slept soundly that night. Not a single tactless person disturbed him.

He slept all the way until late morning. Only then did he truly recover from his exhaustion from constant battling and slaughter. He sat on his bed in a daze for a while, thinking back to the dream he had that night. It was no longer a dream that reminisced his past life, but a new dream. As for the details? He could not recall any of it.

As he sat there in a daze, Xiao An placed a pan of water before him. Li Qingshan thanked him before lowering his head and looking in the pan, “Hmm? I seem to have gotten skinnier!” Touching his face, he had indeed grown skinnier. He had been eating constantly in the mountains, and after achieving the strength of an ox, his body had become visibly sturdy. His face had filled up as well, no longer as thin as before. He had been brimming with energy and was as fit as an ox.

Was it because I exhausted myself too much over the past two days? He muttered to himself inside. He plunged his head into the water and drew it out again, and his mind immediately cleared up. “Let’s go, it’s time to train!”

The courtyard’s location was rather remote, so it was very quiet. And, it was expansive as well, so it was suitable for practising martial arts. It suited Li Qingshan’s tastes very much. When he walked out from the building, he discovered that the snow had already stopped at a certain time while he slept. The winter sunlight landed on the snowy ground, shining brightly.

Li Qingshan arrived beneath the sun after treading through the snow and yawned. All he saw when he looked back was Xiao An remaining within the shadows, afraid to take a step out of the door.

Li Qingshan smiled and extended his hand. “Come!”

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Chapter 70 – A World of Light

Xiao An looked at Li Qingshan. Under the sunlight and the reflected light from the snow, he seemed like a halo surrounded him. His smile was so dazzling that it was impossible to look at him directly. He basically seemed glorious. His hand seemed to be an invitation to the world of light.

The pain from sunlight burning him remained in his heart, but he was unable to control his hand that extended outwards. The skeletal hand, devoid of any flesh or blood, was like a moth drawn to a flame. Even if the sunlight would burn him to a crisp, he was unable to turn down the invitation of that hand.

His index finger crossed the boundary between light and darkness first. The sunlight did not burn him, instead feeling extremely warm, rising up from the depths of his soul. He had almost run out of patience during this process, placing his hand in Li Qingshan’s.

Li Qingshan held the pale-white, skeletal hand that might have been rather terrifying to ordinary people.

Xiao An stepped out of the building, crossing the boundary between light and darkness, bathing in the sunlight.

Li Qingshan lifted up Xiao An with a great smile. “How does it feel?”

Xiao An nodded happily. It felt fantastic. He had never felt so wonderful before.

Sunlight did not only subdue ghosts. Instead, it could suppress everything evil in the world. The black ox had not been lying to Li Qingshan. The reason why Xiao An was not afraid of sunlight was not because he was powerful enough, but because he had never exactly been an evil or demonic being in the first place. He even possessed the holy, solemn aura of buddhism. This was how powerful the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty was, a demonic superhuman ability a great monk of buddhism created. With life and death blurred, buddhism and demons were one.

On such a big day, Li Qingshan was unable to come up with any good ideas as for how to celebrate for Xiao An. Xiao An could neither eat or drink. Was he supposed to go out and dig out a heart or two?

As a result, he swung his hand. “Let’s build a snowman for you!”

As expected, Xiao An became as happy as an ordinary child.

Li Qingshan said, “I haven’t told you, have I? My ability at making snowmen even surpasses my supernatural ability.”

Xiao An immediately showed admiration, while Li Qingshan was complacent. With a chuckle, he squatted down and rolled the thick layer of snow into a great ball before making a smaller ball and placing it on the larger ball. He glanced at it and was very satisfied with the perfect shapes of the two balls. He went back inside to find some things for the nose and eyes.

Suddenly, he discovered a white figure standing right in front of him. At a closer glance, he realised that the white figure was actually himself, a Li Qingshan sculpted from snow. Although the facial features were rather blurred, the stature and the bearing were basically life-like. Xiao An was patiently sculpting the curve to the bottom of his clothes.

Li Qingshan said, “D- did you do this?” This was no longer making a snowman, but a snow sculpture!

Xiao An nodded and looked behind Li Qingshan curiously.

“Ha!” Li Qingshan yelled out, turning around and launching a kick. He shattered the two perfect snowballs, making Xiao An leap in fright. He said, “Haha, that’s just practice. I’m going to be serious now.”

Xiao An completed the snow sculptures of a large Li Qingshan, a medium-sized Li Qingshan, a small Li Qingshan, and various birds and beasts.

“Ha!” “Ha!” “Ha!” Li Qingshan also destroyed his ‘masterpieces’, collapsing on the snowing ground in exhaustion. “Fine then. It looks like my ability at making snowmen is slightly worse than my supernatural ability.”

However, looking at how much fun Xiao An was having, he had basically reached his goal!

“Someone is here!” Li Qingshan’s heart skipped a beat. Hearing the footsteps, Xiao An immediately hid back inside the building. After a few thumps on the door, Li Qingshan opened the door, and he was met with the advisor.

The advisor smiled from ear to ear. “Sheriff Li, how was your sleep last night? The magistrate invites you to visit the government office. They’re holding a trial today.”

Li Qingshan told Xiao An to hide well. He tidied himself up slightly before arriving at the government office. Ye Dachuan personally invited him to the back hall before ordering someone to retrieve a set of clothes. It was the sheriff’s uniform, and it came with a standard issue Wind-entwining blade.

Obviously, he could not turn down the goodwill of others. And, this identity as the sheriff was rather useful to Li Qingshan as well. The government of this world did not appear to be particularly powerful, but since he had a legitimate status, it would definitely come with its benefits. He temporarily needed this identity.

Li Qingshan went to a wing of the room to change into the clothes before equipping the Wind-entwining blade. When he emerged, his bearing changed once more. The black sheriff’s uniform was not as ugly as Li Qingshan had originally imagined it to be. Instead, it seemed very much like a uniform. Wearing it, he lost some of his free, unrestrained aura as a person of the jianghu and gained a more solemn and upright bearing.

Ye Dachuan said, “Originally, I wondered whether it was a little small, but I never thought it would be a perfect fit. Although it can’t be compared to the legitimate Black Wolf uniform, you really do seem even more awe-inspiring than actual Hawkwolf guards.”

Li Qingshan thought to himself, It really wasn’t a false impression. He really had become thinner. It was not because he had overworked himself in the past few days, but probably the effects of practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging.

“The Black Wolf uniform? Hawkwolf guards?”

Ye Dachuan said, “Hmph, that bunch of arrogant, ruthless, and greedy wolf pups. Don’t worry, their influence can’t reach here. In Qingyang city, you and I possess the most power!”

Originally, Li Qingshan had asked without much thought, but he instead began to care now. The underlying meaning to what Ye Dachuan had said seemed to be that if the influence of the Hawkwolf Guard did reach here, they would no longer possess the most authority. However, Ye Dachuan had witnessed his martial arts before. As it turned out, maybe the imperial court and government of this world was not as weak as he had imagined them to be. The weak must have been this official Ye right in front of him.

He had been trapped in a mountain village for most of his life, and as soon as he made it out, he ran around fighting and killing. He did not have the leisure to properly understand this world at all. Even right now, it was no different. He needed to practise the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging quickly so that he could handle the possible events and dangers that might appear.

“Sir Ye, sheriff Li, it’s time to attend the trial,” said the advisor.

Li Qingshan stood there purely for a ceremonious purpose before bidding farewell and leaving. When he returned to his courtyard, he discovered the doors to be open, so his heart lurched. He rushed through the door, but all he saw was Huang Binghu standing in the courtyard, studying the snow sculptures. “What a sophisticated interest, Qingshan!”

Li Qingshan smiled bitterly. He could not refute him, “Hunting chief, you’ve returned so quickly. Are these?” There were eight, large jars of alcohol and two bamboo baskets in the courtyard. They stood out very much.

“It’s obviously the tiger bone alcohol you asked for!” Huang Binghu opened a jar, and the heavy fragrance of alcohol permeated the entire courtyard.

“So much!”

“We dug up everything we had for this.” Huang Binghu smiled as he studied Li Qingshan, “That’s quite a handsome outfit. If you really could join the Hawkwolf Guard, you won’t have to worry about others trying to steal from you.”

The Hawkwolf Guard again? Li Qingshan said, “Hunting chief, is the Hawkwolf Guard really that powerful?” Huang Binghu had left Qingyang city before. He had gone to larger places like the Clear River prefecture, so Li Qingshan obviously wanted to seek advice from him.

Huang Binghu became stern. “They’re more than just powerful. One of their responsibilities is to arrest people of the jianghu that regular sheriffs are unable to control. There’s not a single person of the jianghu who does not fear them. They’re all known as the hawks and hounds of the government. However, the Hawkwolf Guard only recruits innate masters. Normally, they will never interfere with anything. I’ve only seen them a few times from afar during my time of roaming the jianghu.”

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Chapter 71 – Drinking and Practising

Li Qingshan thought to himself, Perhaps this is the true strength of the government. But it only makes sense like that. Since when was there ever the principle of the weak ruling over the strong? Anyone who gains power would strive for greater authority. How are ordinary people supposed to rule over the people of the jianghu with their powerful martial arts?

The Hawkwolf Guard must have been an important force of the government. Just like how there would be more peace to cultivate in the government, joining would save a lot of trouble. “Doesn’t mean I don’t have a chance.”

“I believe you can do it!” Huang Binghu still thought he was considering joining the Hawkwolf Guard. He had already learnt that Li Qingshan had destroyed the Dragon’s Gate sect last night in just two hours. However, as opposed to others, he had experienced a feeling of ‘just as I had thought’ when he received this news, apart from the usual shock.

Ever since he had met Li Qingshan, Li Qingshan had been rapidly growing at an unbelievable rate. He could not help but think about what Li Qingshan had said back then, “I will definitely become an innate master!” Originally, he treated it not too seriously like something a child had said, but he believed it now. As long as Li Qingshan did not die along the way, he would definitely become such a master.

Li Qingshan decided on temporarily throwing such a distant matter to the back of his head. “Apart from the tiger bone alcohol, are the bamboo baskets holding that?”

“That’s right! It’s ginseng!” Huang Binghu opened the bamboo baskets. They were actually filled with ginseng.

When Li Qingshan had purchased ginseng with his huge sum of a thousand taels of silver, the amount was probably not even a tenth of the quantity contained in the bamboo baskets. It made sense with how much tiger bone they had, but the Drawn Reins village was not a village known for foraging ginseng. He could smell blood from Huang Binghu’s body. It was extremely faint but very fresh. If it were not for how sharp the smell of blood was, he basically would have doubted himself and wondered if it were his false impression. Did his nose become more sensitive after practising the superhuman abilities?

Huang Binghu said, “We just removed a danger for the Drawn Reins village, and the ginseng was an unexpected spoil of that.” After he ingested the spiritual alcohol, not only had his body recovered, but his martial arts had also progressed further. Spurred on by the murderousness and sanguine nature of when Li Qingshan destroyed the Black Wind stronghold, he had immediately led people to attack the Ginseng King village as soon as he returned.

The Ginseng King village had never been as powerful as the Drawn Reins village. In order to find the spiritual ginseng, Yang Jun had also led a group of experts with him and made a mess of the village. They just happened to be at their weakest point, so Huang Binghu succeeded with his battle, destroying the Ginseng King village.

Li Qingshan fell silent momentarily. Although he had grievances with the Ginseng King village, they were still a village after all. They were not a nest of criminals like the Black Wind stronghold. However, he also understood that if the Ginseng King village possessed enough strength, they would have done the same to the Drawn Reins village.

Once a grievance of life and death had been developed, it basically could not be nullified peacefully. The only way about it would be to do everything to defeat the opponent. If he wanted to protect his friends and family, he needed to kill the friends and family of others. Only standpoints existed. There was no good or bad. Once he entered the jianghu, there would be no way out. There would be enough alcohol for him to never finish, enough enemies to behead for him to never get around to.

“I just happen to be in need of these, so thank you, hunting chief. The ginseng is worth quite a lot, so I can’t take it for free. Hunting chief, why don’t you give me a sum?”

Huang Binghu did not hold back. “I knew your trip to the Black Wind stronghold would be extremely worthwhile. As for the amount of silver, give me whatever you want.”

Li Qingshan handed all of the silver notes he had obtained from the Black Wind stronghold, over ten thousand taels, to Huang Binghu. The price of the ginseng would probably be worth more than that, but due to buying in such a great quantity, there had to be discounts. Li Qingshan neither took advantage of Huang Binghu, nor did he take a loss in this.

Huang Binghu felt delighted as well. As long as he had the money, the strength of the Drawn Reins village would definitely increase even more through the formulae Li Qingshan gave him. “You have to be careful these days, just in case someone is plotting against you. If the need arises, just give me a call. However, I have a feeling that you won’t lose.”

Li Qingshan said, “Thank you for your optimism, hunting chief!”

After Huang Binghu left, Li Qingshan sank into his thoughts for quite a while before suddenly seeing Xiao An sticking his head out from inside, looking at him with a ‘shining’ gaze. He could not help but smile calmly. He wanted to protect this child. There was no question about his determination.

The circumstances of his life had suddenly changed, constantly dwelling in blood and slaughter. It was not like he had experienced confusion and pain. If he were the same person from his past life, he definitely would have lost his spirit already, but now, he wanted to stand up tall, without showing the slightest hint of weakness, as that child was looking at him. If the abilities and strength granted him confidence, then his desire to protect and his responsibilities steeled his heart, turning him into a real man.

The medicinal alcohol and ginseng had been delivered at the perfect time. The tiger bone alcohol went without saying—it was extremely helpful to practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. The ginseng was just as crucial too. The spiritual ginseng would require several days to produce a gourd of spiritual alcohol now, and the taste of the alcohol was no longer as heavy as before.

Li Qingshan dismissed his thoughts and formally began practising the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging.

The Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging also had a total of nine layers. Li Qingshan’s current objective was achieving the first layer. According to the black ox, as long as he achieved the first layer, he could combine it with the Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength and erupt with the true power of this ability.

Li Qingshan lifted up a jar of tiger bone alcohol first and took a few sips. He moved around in the courtyard, performing the fist style form by form. His feet moved faster and faster, and before long, only a blur was left in the courtyard, rushing around with quite a gale.

He digested and absorbed the medicinal alcohol very quickly, so he stopped and drank more. He repeated this process constantly, and by noon, he felt a starving sensation once more and felt like he had overworked his mind, about to injure his vitality.

However, the effects were extremely obvious. In just a single morning, he could clearly sense his movements becoming slightly faster once again, with even greater explosive power compared to before. All of the bones in his body had become tougher as well, able to support him to perform even more violent movements and actions. He would no longer experience the feeling of coming close to fracture like when he climbed up the Dragon’s Gate mountain last night.

Li Qingshan felt extremely exhilarated. He arrived at the restaurant nearby, and when the manager saw him enter, he went up to receive him in a hurry. “Sheriff Li, what brings you here? Welcome, welcome! Please come in!”

Li Qingshan did not hold back. He ordered a whole table of food and alcohol, wolfing it down like there was no one else around. However, he could clearly sense that the restaurant had a few additional people of the jianghu, carrying blades. These people also studied him carefully, but since they did nothing to him, Li Qingshan could not be too bothered by them. He finished eating and settled the bill.

“Manager, give three, no, four meals a day with the same quantity, regardless of the dishes in the future. Deliver it to where I’m staying, and include some more meat with bone in.” He no longer had the time or energy to go hunting anymore, and he had grown sick of just eating roast meat or boiled meat a long time ago. Now that he had money, of course he had to eat better dishes and drink better alcohol. The culinary skills of the restaurant’s chef completely surpassed his half-assed cooking.

Just when the manager was paining over the losses of today, he heard Li Qingshan’s words and almost fell over. “Sheriff Li, we’re a small establishment making small profits!”

“Hmm?”

Li Qingshan did not pay too much attention when he let out that questioning interjection, but the manager’s heart almost stopped beating. He cursed himself for being too greedy, Why did I have to provoke this calamity just for some money? Am I really that sick of living?

“Do you think I’m going to freeload? Here’s the payment in advance.” Li Qingshan fished out a silver note worth a thousand taels and placed it on the counter.

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Chapter 72 – The Black Tiger Leaves its Den

“Yes, yes, yes. Sheriff Li is a great hero, a great man. You would never take advantage of my mere establishment. It’s me who has acted like a snob.” The manager was overjoyed, immediately stowing the silver away and replying with respect.

Li Qingshan turned around and left through the door as a few people of the jianghu whispered among themselves.

“Is that the Descended Tiger, Li Qingshan? Turns out that he’s just a kid.”

“What kid? He personally destroyed the Black Wind stronghold and the Dragon’s Gate sect. And, I heard he’s skilled in a move called the ‘Black Tiger Digs out the Heart’…”

“What so special about the Black Tiger Digs out the Heart? I know it as well. Who doesn’t know how to use it in the jianghu?” To the people of the jianghu, this was basically the most generic move out there.

“Shut up, don’t interrupt me. Every person he killed has had their hearts dug out. Could you do that?”

The table of people collectively gasped. “What brutal methods!”

“That’s why we have to be as careful as we can this time.”

A few days passed, and more and more people of the jianghu appeared in Qingyang city. The attacks that Li Qingshan had been watching out for never actually happened during this time. Everyone watched and observed silently. The infamy that came with killing people and digging out their hearts really did have an extremely great effect. And, the more people of the jianghu there were, the more careful and vigilant they would be. They were afraid of stalking their prey but being unaware of someone else stalking them.

Li Qingshan was overjoyed that no one disturbed him. He could concentrate entirely on training. He would become slightly stronger with each passing day. However, his figure rapidly thinned down as well. He was basically close to returning to his original size.

However, this was different from the frail thinness of before. The current him was like a piece of steel, constantly being hammered and tempered. His volume decreased, but he became denser and denser. Simply by standing there, he was like a javelin, glimmering with a deterring edge.

At the very beginning, Li Qingshan had never thought the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging could forge the body to such a level. Moreover, this form of forging took an extremely great toll on his body.

Now, aside from eating food, he ate ginseng. That’s right; he did not drink the medicinal alcohol steeped from ginseng but ate it directly instead. Whenever he felt exhausted from training, he would eat wild ginseng several decades in age like snacks.

The dried ginseng was as tough as wood, but his teeth were even sharper than steel knives. He would grind it to pieces with just a few bites and swallow all of it. He did not worry about it being overly nourishing and leading to nose bleeds. The ginseng would turn into vitality in his belly. Before it even had the chance to travel anywhere, his body that desired energy urgently would drain it away. It was all thanks to the ginseng that he did not become even skinnier.

The snow fell at times and stopped at others. Over half a month passed by.

Li Qingshan was currently practising in a horse stance. Suddenly, he felt a gust behind his head, and he did not even look back, leaping up and slamming his head backwards. He seemed like a human spring.

His headbutt sent the assailant flying, slamming against the stone wall.

The eleventh. This was already the eleventh person who had attacked him recently. Although most people chose to watch on from afar, there were still quite a few who wanted to try their luck. Unfortunately, their luck was not particularly great.

Li Qingshan stood up and sensed the gazes that spied on him from the surroundings. He growled and said, “All of you, get out!” His voice that he had infused with true qi made the tiles rattle. Those who had weaker martial arts immediately felt like they had been struck heavily in the head. They vanished in a hurry.

Li Qingshan did the same as he did with the others, killing the person and taking the heart before tossing the corpse over the wall. Feeling his own body, the strand of true qi that was only like a hair in the beginning had become extremely powerful now. It raged through his body like a river.

He had finished all eight jars of tiger bone alcohol, the two bamboo baskets of ginseng, and the pills for training he had obtained from the Dragon’s Gate sect.

He had finally achieved something with the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging, but he was still quite a bit off from the first layer. He was uncertain if it were because he had not trained enough or if the time was just not right.

He stood up and discovered that his nails had grown long once more. As they brushed past each other, they produced a metallic sound of scraping. He grabbed at the stone table beside him gently and four deep marks were left behind. If he used a hand like this to unleash a vicious technique like the Tiger Demon Digs out the Heart, the results would be obvious.

He was confident that he could slaughter all of these people spying on him, but he did not do that. As long as they never attacked him, he was reluctant to kill them. However, his patience vanished bit by bit. As his cultivation of the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging progressed, his vicious and brutal nature grew heavier.

He was like a vicious tiger trapped in a cage, agitated to swing its claws and bare its fangs. He had realised he had changed like this.

If masters of the jianghu were being spied on so outrageously, they probably would have massacred them all already. Have I made myself seem like someone who’s easy to walk over? This thought constantly resounded through his head, and it grew louder and louder. However, he did his best to restrain himself.

Xiao An held Li Qingshan’s wrist with some worry. Out of the eleven people Li Qingshan had killed during these days, the latter nine were all second-rate masters. Their vitality was much stronger than regular people. Xiao An’s strength had been growing endlessly like there was no bottleneck.

Li Qingshan said, “Let’s go out and take a stroll!” He put on the Black Wolf uniform and equipped the standard issue Wind-entwining blade before making his way out. He made his way towards the largest establishment in Qingyang city. Most of the people of jianghu were gathered there. He wanted to make them understand today.

As soon as he left the courtyard, a piece of news spread across the entire city. “The Black Tiger has left its den!”

In the Iron Fist sect, the Iron Lion Liu Hong currently faced a pale-faced, middle-aged man with a thin beard and mustache. Liu Hong said courteously, “Hall chief, that is what has happened so far. Li Qingshan is a real piece of work. It is difficult to take the spiritual ginseng from him by force. And, Qingyang city has become crowded with masters now. First-rate masters have already appeared, planning to use the spiritual ginseng when they make the push to the innate realm. Even if you get the spiritual ginseng, it will be difficult to ingest it.”

Hall chief Wu lectured, “Liu Hong, you have spent far too much time in retirement in Qingyang. You have become more and more cowardly. Since when has our Iron Fist school feared masters? If Li Qingshan really is someone with a brain, getting him to hand over the spiritual ginseng and join the Iron School sect would not be treating him unjustly.”

Li Long stood to one side. When he heard how his master was directly referred to by his name, he felt that it was very disrespectful. He refused to accept it inside, With the way you act, you might not necessarily be able to defeat Qingshan. Once he digs out your heart, you’ll know just how powerless you really are.

Liu Hong obviously knew his disciple. He was afraid Li Long would say something inappropriate, so he grabbed his shoulder and said to the hall chief, “Hall chief Wu, my disciple has got some talent. It is quite a pity if he remains in Qingyang city. Do you think you can take him with you this time so that he can go out and see the world?”

Hall chief Wu glanced at Li Long. “Regarding that, considering your contribution this time for providing the news, it is not out of the question for me to take a person or two away with me.” The Iron Fist school had established a branch in such a remote in the first place because they wanted to look for people, so completing this favour that came at no extra cost to him was possible.

Liu Hong was overjoyed. “Thank you, hall chief Wu. Xiao Long, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and thank hall chief Wu.”

Li Long could not let down his master with all the pains he had gone to. Although he was reluctant, he showed none of it on his face. He thanked the hall chief obediently.

Smack!

Aside from the three of them, there was someone else in the room. He admired the calligraphy and paintings on the walls as if no one else was around. He did not talk to them. He was the one who had made that sound as if he had run out of patience.

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Chapter 73 – The Hawkwolf Guard

It was dark right now. The person was standing in the corner, and his black clothes seemed to fuse into the darkness. Liu Hong had paid much attention to him since the very beginning, as when he was not looking at him, he actually failed to sense his existence at all.

Hall chief Wu said, “Branch leader Liu, I’ll introduce you to an important figure.” He continued to refer to the much older Liu Hong arrogantly, directly calling his name. When he mentioned the person in black, his gaze immediately became more flattering and complacent. He felt delight over how he could establish ties with such an important figure. “This is sir Feng of the Hawkwolf Guard.”

The Hawkwolf Guard! Liu Hong’s heart skipped a beat, and he gulped. How couldn’t he have heard of the renowned hawks and hounds of the government? It was no wonder that hall chief Wu acted like this. Even the leader of the main branch of the Iron Fist school, Tie Buyi, had to entertain such a person cautiously. It was no wonder why branch chief Wu was so confident as well. Who would ever be bold enough to make him spit out something he had taken when a Hawkwolf guard had personally come forward?

Sir Feng said nonchalantly without even looking over, “You are too kind, hall chief Wu. Our commander has drunk with your master Tie in Jiaping city a few times, which was why he agreed to help you. I still have matters to attend to when I return to Jiaping city, so I can’t afford to spend too much time here.”

Jiaping was a large city over fifty kilometers away from Qingyang city. Not only did a major river pass through it, making it an extremely important port, but there were mines as well, so it was much more prosperous than a small mountain city like Qingyang. The Iron Locks hall that hall chief Wu came from was located there. The hall controlled seven branches, including Qingyang. An office of the Hawkwolf Guard was located there too.

Hall chief Wu said, “Yes, yes, yes. We won’t cause you any trouble at all. Branch leader Liu, why don’t you get that Li Qingshan to come over immediately?”

Liu Hong was afraid of ordering his disciples to handle this. He ordered Li Long to wait there as he personally went to go find Li Qingshan.

Li Long had heard Liu Hong mention the Hawkwolf Guard in the past before, but that was just far too distant from the world he dwelled in, so he did not pay too much attention to it. He never thought he would personally see a member of the Hawkwolf Guard today, so he could not help but worry for Li Qingshan, Qingshan is probably going to lose the spiritual ginseng this time. If he insists on keeping it, I need to try to persuade him otherwise.

He did not have any particularly close ties to Li Qingshan. Their relationship only originated from the simple ties of sharing the same homeplace. Moreover, Li Qingshan’s martial arts were much more powerful than his. If he joined the Iron Fist school, he could take care of him. Li Long suddenly recalled what Liu Hong had said in the restaurant that day, asking Li Qingshan to take good care of him. He probably anticipated this day. Li Long felt even more grateful towards Liu Hong.

Within the city, there was no one who was more informed than Liu Hong. He found Li Qingshan very soon and said, “Qingshan, hall chief Wu of our Iron Locks hall has arrived. He wants to meet you. He has something to discuss with you.” He thought rapidly as he spoke. He tried to come up with a way to tell Li Qingshan what would happen as smoothly as possible, but he was also afraid of making it too obvious and scaring away Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan said, “But there’s no need for school master Liu to personally come fetch me.”

Liu Hong felt awkward. In the gang, the ranks were clearly divided. Hall chiefs were existences at a higher level than branch leaders. Every single person who could occupy a position like that were first-rate masters, so they obviously could order branch leaders like him around.

“Your nuisance of a hall chief must have come for the spiritual ginseng as well, right? I was just planning to make this clear in the Qingyang restaurant. You should get the hall chief to come take a listen too!” Li Qingshan did not stop. He crossed through streets and alleyways, travelling towards his destination.

Liu Hong followed beside him with quick strides. “You can’t do that, Qingshan. I’m doing this for your sake.”

The two of them passed through a narrow alleyway. Suddenly, a large monk with a black buddhist staff appeared at the alleyway entrance, looking at Li Qingshan and sniggering. He had a fierce look in the first place, and he had a vicious scar across his face, so he only seemed fiercer when he smiled.

Liu Hong cried out, “The Mad Monk, Void Butcherer!”

Li Qingshan looked at the shining buddhist staff. It was another spiritual artifact. As expected, the so-called spiritual artifacts were not particularly rare in this world.

Liu Hong was afraid of looking at Void Butcherer. He whispered, “This person was once ordained at the renowned Baolin temple of the jianghu, but due to his fondness for drinking and killing, he broke the rules of the temple and was expelled. Under the influence of his madness, he used the one hundred and eight forms of the Mad Demon staff style and slaughtered the entire temple. He changed his dharma name to Void Butcherer and roamed the lands, killing people and taking their possessions. No matter where he goes, he leaves none alive. It’s said that he has reached the level of first-rate masters a long time ago, and he’s only a step away from becoming an innate master.”

Many people of the jianghu paid attention to this secretly. They muttered to themselves, “It really is Void Butcherer. I never thought he would actually come.” “Sigh, looks like we all have no chance now.” “Shut up and go. If he discovers us, none of us will be left alive.” He was truly infamous.

Void Slaughterer said, “Kid, hand over the spiritual ginseng, and I’ll leave you with an intact corpse. I’ll expiate your dead soul and burn joss paper for you every year.” He was not wildly arrogant. As a peak first-rate master, he could sweep away anyone he came across as long as they were not innate masters.

“Regarding the spiritual ginseng, I will explain it in the restaurant. If you want it, then you better come listen.” Li Qingshan pinched his nose. He could clearly smell the odour of alcohol, oil, and blood from the monk. He continued on his way.

The staff suddenly swung down, and the metal rings produced a series of clangs.

Li Qingshan finally stopped. The staff paused right before his nose, only inches away. The gale swept up by the swing buffeted his hair.

“Master Liu, please go back first!” Li Qingshan’s voice seemed calm, but he was actually a volcano about to erupt. His blood that had settled down for quite some time now began to boil.

Li Qingshan’s disregarding attitude completely infuriated Void Butcherer. He unleashed the one hundred and eight forms of the Mad Demon staff style with his full strength. The black staff turned into a flurry of shadows as it whistled through the air before rushing over like waves.

The alleyway was narrow. There was no room to dodge at all. Li Qingshan clenched his fist, and his bones crackled and popped. He did not retreat at all against the flurry of staves. Instead, he advanced.

Liu Hong would never try to get involved in a battle between the two. He turned around and fled towards the other side of the alleyway. He heard the clashes and whistling of wind behind him. The two of them had begun an intense battle.

Li Qingshan weaved through the blurs. This was the first time he had witnessed the terrors of a first-rate master. Not only were the moves powerful and heavy, but they were ingenious and careful as well, without producing the slightest opening. Void Butcherer firmly stopped Li Qingshan from three steps away, giving him no advantage to approach.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

In the narrow alleyway, Li Qingshan’s space for dodging was highly limited. His fists collided with the staff, producing a string of metallic sounds.

Void Butcherer felt rather shocked inside. Just what martial arts did this kid practise to be able to block his Mad Demon staff with his body? However, it only roused his vicious nature. Pouring his entire body’s strength into it, he directly swung down with the staff from above. It caused an extremely shocking disturbance. Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up when he saw a slight opening, so he took advantage of it and rushed forward. He turned his fists into a claw, directly reaching towards the centre of Void Butcherer’s body. However, he suddenly saw a sly smile on Void Butcherer’s face that conflicted with his coarse appearance completely. He felt alarmed inside. Oh no!

Void Slaughterer suddenly changed his move. The staff went from a vertical swing to a horizontal sweep. The move before was actually a feint. The narrow alleyway restricted the move, but the staff moved anyway. Pieces of rock flew from the tall walls, unable to stop the staff in its path.

Bang!

The staff sent Li Qingshan flying, slamming through a wall and falling into the courtyard on the other side, kicking up quite the dust. Li Qingshan had suffered in those clashes due to his insufficient battle experience.

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Chapter 74 – Killing Void Butcherer

Void Butcherer showed complacency in succeeding with his scheme, but his expression soon changed. Li Qingshan knelt in the rubble on one knee, gripping the buddhist staff firmly with his left hand. No matter how hard Void Butcherer pulled, the staff refused to budge.

It seemed like the staff had blown Li Qingshan away, but he had actually extended his hand and grabbed the weapon at a critical juncture before slamming into the wall with the staff. Even if regular second-rate masters could react in such a manner, they would still suffer injuries. However, Li Qingshan was virtually unscathed thanks to the toughness of his body.

Although he lacked battle experience, he was a true battle genius. His reaction and tactics in battle were all the best of the best.

“You’re looking to die!” Void Butcherer sniggered extremely viciously.

Li Qingshan felt a powerful inner force emerge from the staff, rushing into his body wildly.

A battle of inner force was the most dangerous trial of strength people of the jianghu could go through. The person who could not last any longer and drew back their inner force first would have inner force assault the interior of their bodies, bursting their danitan and ruining their veins and meridians. It would only end in death.

Void Butcherer was confident that the inner force he had cultivated through several decades of strenuous effort was not something Li Qingshan could oppose. In his eyes, Li Qingshan was just a conceited idiot. Li Qingshan had already surprised him quite a bit by not spurting blood and dying in the first moment, so he increased his input of inner force.

In terms of strength, Void Butcherer’s inner force did indeed exceed Li Qingshan’s. Li Qingshan felt a stream enter his body. This stream was much more impure than true qi, so Li Qingshan knew it was inner force. However, within the impurity was a sliver of clarity. Void Butcherer had almost reached the innate realm. He was only a step away from converting his inner force into true qi.

However, the issue was that Li Qingshan’s true qi was not stored within his dantian. He had not even focused on any of his veins or meridians before. As a result, this true qi devoured the inner force very quickly, turning into his own energy. Not only was there no harm, but it even benefited him instead. Li Qingshan did not plan on counter attacking immediately. He allowed Void Butcherer to channel his true qi into him.

Cold sweat seeped out of Void Butcherer’s forehead. Why is this kid so strange? Is this the effect of the spiritual ginseng? He became even more afraid of letting go now.

At this moment, a black shadow lunged over from the eaves of the wall, directly reaching for the gourd on Li Qingshan’s waist. Someone had grasped the timing and wanted to go all in and take advantage of the situation.

There was a flash, and the black shadow fell straight down, landing on the ground as two pieces. Xiao An had appeared and casually killed the thief before stabbing through the air.

Void Butcherer suddenly saw the extremely strange skeleton, and he became alarmed. The circulation of his inner force slowed down slightly. The strike that was on par with a full strength blow of a first-rate master had frightened him out of his wits.

Sensing how Void Butcherer had withdrawn his inner force and wanted to abandon his staff to dodge, Li Qingshan would never let such a great opportunity simply slip by. All of his inner force went from being a dam to a wave, surging up and through Void Butcherer’s body.

The true qi was not powerful, but it was extremely sharp. It sliced through the inner force Void Butcherer put up to defend like a knife through jelly, rampaging through his meridians, dantian, and organs.

Blood spurted from Void Butcherer’s mouth wildly as he was knocked backwards. He smashed through two walls and became buried in the rubble.

Li Qingshan stood up, but his gaze remained fixed on the rubble. He ordered, “Xiao An, silence them!”

Xiao An immediately entered the shadows, and three cries rang out from three directions in just three seconds. Aside from the fellow from earlier, there were others around who wanted to take advantage of the situation. They saw Xiao An’s appearance.

Boom!

The rubble flew everywhere as Void Butcherer stood up once more. He tottered about as he looked at Li Qingshan viciously. He fished out a porcelain bottle from his bosom.

Great, just what I need! Li Qingshan could clearly see the resplendent glow from the bottle after Void Butcherer removed the stopper. Since a second-rate master like Xiong Xiangwu could produce a Strength Talisman of the Guardian Kings, then first-rate masters with even stronger martial arts who had travelled far and wide would also have a trump card or two that was not related to martial arts.

Void Butcherer removed a fire-red pill and crushed it in his mouth. Immediately, his body swelled up like he had been pumped full of air. His arms became twice as thick, riddled with bulging veins and muscles.

The Body Eruption pill!

In order to receive this bottle of pills, Void Butcherer had paid his entire fortune and robbed thirteen wealthy clans on top of that, killing more than a hundred people in exchange for just three pills. These pills could be used for neither training nor healing. Ingesting it would only bring about detriments. However, it could instantaneously unleash the potential of the human body, allowing one to possess almost supernatural strength.

Void Butcherer roared out and charged towards Li Qingshan like a war chariot.

Li Qingshan exhaled. He did not choose to take him on, instead reaching towards the Cursive Sword Calligraphy.

There was a diagonal stroke of sword qi.

Li Qingshan emerged from the tiny alleyway that had been reduced to ruins, brushing off the dust and dirt on him. “It’s just a pity that I can neither leave you with a full corpse nor expiate your dead soul, nor do I have the time to burn joss paper for you.” Behind him, the alleyway had already been reduced to crumbling walls. A vicious man for his entire life, the Mad Monk Void Butcherer’s corpse lay in twain, eyes open and unable to find peace even with death.

He told Xiao An to silence everyone not only to hide Xiao An, but also to hide the spiritual artifact he possessed. He had a feeling that if an observant person spotted the calligraphy, it would probably lead to an even greater storm than the spiritual ginseng.

Li Qingshan carried the buddhist staff in one hand. Although the black ox had said that spiritual artifacts that were just glowing weapons were all mediocre spiritual artifacts not worthy of a grade, it was still a spiritual artifact after all. He was reluctant to just throw it aside. In his other hand was a porcelain bottle that contained a single pill. It was the pill that Void Butcherer had ingested.

“Turns out that is all there is to first-rate masters! But I shouldn’t be an innate master yet, either!” Li Qingshan thought curiously. He was confident that he could defeat Void Butcherer with his martial arts alone, without relying on foreign objects. However, if they wanted to play around with trump cards, his trump card would not be weaker than anyone else’s either.

Li Qingshan carried the buddhist staff as he continued on his way to the restaurant. The people of the jianghu who had been keeping an eye out in the dark for this battle were currently in silent shock. The battle between the Mad Monk and the Black Tiger was a battle between a renowned peak first-rate master and a junior who was still wet behind the years. No one would have thought that the Black Tiger would win, and that he would win so easily.

Liu Hong hurried back to the Iron Fist school and reported to hall chief Wu and sir Feng.

“The Mad Monk Void Butcherer! He has also come for the spiritual ginseng in an attempt to break through to the innate realm. The kid is probably done for. He is probably dead already.” Hall chief Wu frowned. Even if he were matched up against the Mad Monk Void Butcherer, he would struggle to attain victory. Obviously, he was not worried about Li Qingshan’s fate, but the spiritual ginseng. “Sir Feng, what do you think?”

Sir Feng said, “Let’s go and take a look. I’ll handle the monk. He made it onto the list of the Hawkwolf Guard a long time ago. It’s just that the higher-ups have never been able to spare a hand to deal with him. Since we’ve run into him today, it’ll be his death day.”

As soon as the three of them left the Iron Fist school, they received the news that the Mad Monk was dead.

Their expressions differed in their own ways. Liu Hong was the most shocked. In the eyes of a second-rate master like him, the Mad Monk was an indomitable existence, yet he had died in such a short amount of time.

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Chapter 75 – Innate Master

Hall chief Wu rejoiced. Fortunately, he had not gone alone. He desired the spiritual ginseng even more now. As long as he ingested the spiritual ginseng and broke through to the innate realm, the Iron Fist school would gain a protector, protector Wu. Even if he faced sir Feng of the Hawkwolf Guard again, he no longer needed to behave so submissively.

Sir Feng smiled. “He has got some skill. This kid is only fifteen?”

“Yes. He will be sixteen once the new year arrives. He must be going to the Qingyang restaurant right now.” Liu Hong had made some investigations himself. He was afraid of infuriating sir Feng, so he did not directly tell him that Li Qingshan had refused to come.

“All of the masters should be gathered there right now. Interesting.”

Li Qingshan had already entered the Qingyang restaurant. The entire restaurant no longer had a single customer. It seemed to be divided into a few groups that opposed one another.

Even though the entire restaurant had heard the news that he had killed the Mad Monk, they still felt utterly shocked when they saw him carrying the Mad Monk’s renowned weapon, the Mad Demon staff.

Li Qingshan looked around. There were only four people that he paid attention to.

They were a one-armed old man who carried a large blade on his back, a middle-aged madam with a sunken face, a chuckling wealthy man, and a sickly-pale scholar who carried a sword.

If someone who frequented the jianghu was present, they would definitely pale in fright if they were in Li Qingshan’s shoes.

Don’t tell me that Wan Hao is the sect master Wan Hao of the Wild Blade sect? He is known as the One-armed Blade King in the jianghu, and he killed the Eighteen Cavalry of Fierce Wind with a single arm and a single blade, making a name for himself in Xiasha city. And that Wei Dandong, he must be the Wei Dandong who originated from Humble Maple academy; he is known as the Life-taking Scholar within the jianghu. His Thirteen Swords of Life-taking has attained perfection.

As for that Chu Xin and Lü Tingrui, they’re even more impressive. The Smiling Ghost Chu Xin, the Hornet Sword Lü Tingrui. Are any of them not figures that even first-rate masters would struggle to deal with? All four of them are some of the greatest first-rate masters in current existence.

All of their weapons glowed. None of the weapons they used were ordinary. Were they similar to Void Butcherer, all possessing terrifying trump cards?

Aside from Wei Dandong, all of them were surrounded by people, with countless disciples under them. Aside from them, none of the people of the jianghu could claim a seat in the restaurant.

Of course, there was one more person now.

Li Qingshan made his way to the centre of the restaurant like there was no one else around him. It was like he had entered a group of beasts. With his skinny stature, he did not seem particularly strong, but he gave off the bearing of the king of all beasts.

Just like his nickname, the Black Tiger!

Li Qingshan sat firmly and stabbed the staff into the floor. “Serve the dishes!”

The waiter brought up a tray with a pair of trembling hands. He spilt alcohol all over the tray.

“Your alcohol has been spilled, so let me give you another!” Wei Dandong picked up the cup on the table and tossed it over.

The cup whistled through the air, but not a single drop of the alcohol inside spilled out.

This was just the most ordinary method of probing out someone. They wanted to probe out Li Qingshan’s martial arts. If everything happened according to plan, Li Qingshan would also display his superior skills to shock the people present. Everyone looked over.

Li Qingshan waved his hand, and the cup shattered. Wei Dandong became even paler, while the others wondered to themselves whether Li Qingshan had been injured in his battle against Void Butcherer.

“I have my own alcohol!” Li Qingshan lifted up the gourd, removing the stopper and tilting his head back, gulping the contents down. A while later, he said, “And it’s spiritual alcohol!”

Everyone became enticed. Every single one of them were poised, ready to strike at any time. Not only did they take everyone else into consideration, but they were also deterred by the black, heavy staff.

All Li Qingshan felt was the true qi within him being fully replenished once more. “That’s right, the spiritual ginseng is with me!” He caused another commotion in the restaurant.

Chu Xin said, “What are your demands for it? How much silver do you want? Name a price! We can negotiate a price!”

Li Qingshan lowered his head as if he were considering the offer.

“Kid, do you know the nickname of this fatty in the jianghu?” Lü Tingrui said in a hurry when she saw how Li Qingshan was interested.

“What is it?”

“The Smiling Ghost. He seemed very amiable, but he treats people most ruthlessly. He can promise you thousands of silver taels, tens of thousands of silver taels, but you can’t trust him.”

Chu Xin remained jolly. He fished out a stack of silver notes and slammed it on the table. “Don’t say that. When I do business, I never cheat anyone. Is the silver enough? If it’s not enough, treat it as a down payment.” He was not buying the spiritual ginseng, but an opportunity at becoming an innate master. As long as he became an innate master, he could make back all of the silver he had spent.

Wei Dandong coughed heavily a few times. “I need the spiritual ginseng to save my life. If anyone wants to fight for it with me, you’ll be trying to take my life. I can only throw my life at you!”

Wan Hao said, “I don’t have much time to live either. There’s nothing to pity.”

Li Qingshan fiddled around with the gourd and smiled nonchalantly. “There are four of you here. Who should I give the spiritual ginseng to? You can decide among yourselves!” Since he was bold enough to come, it definitely would not be bravado. Instead, he had foreseen this, and he had come up with an idea to end this entire matter.

Chu Xin chuckled. “We better not fall for his scheme of turning us against one another. Are we supposed to kill each other? That’ll really be a huge loss then. Why don’t we work together and get this kid and split the spiritual ginseng into four shares? It’ll be a guaranteed profit. What do you think?”

Wei Dandong said, “It looks like it’s still an old ghost like you who’s good at calculations. But if we really start fighting, at least three of us will die. Who can say that they’ll be the last one alive?” With that, he coughed a few times more.

Wan Hao and Lü Tingrui were tempted.

Li Qingshan thought, They truly are experienced people of the jianghu. They won’t be led around by others, and their reactions are fast enough too. Seeing how he was about to become everyone’s target soon, he placed his hand on the gourd, prepared to carry out his plan.

His plan was very simple. It was eating the spiritual ginseng in front of everyone. The spiritual ginseng had been steeped in alcohol for such a long time, so its spiritual qi had already become extremely thin. He should be able to endure it.

Of course, this might end up infuriating these first-rate masters, causing them to work together in an attempt to kill him. However, Li Qingshan personally believed that escaping would not be an issue. There was an even greater possibility that these people would do nothing. Without the temptation of the spiritual ginseng, these experienced people would never be willing to risk their lives.

If he chose to flee or secretly eat the spiritual ginseng, the troubles would be endless, and it could even multiply. The only choice he had was to spread the news that the spiritual ginseng had been eaten before these renowned figures of the jianghu, ending the matter once and for all.

Not only did the idea rely on his intelligence, but it relied on his strength as well. If he were a second-rate master, there would be no point in trying anything. It was exactly because he was a first-rate master, and he possessed the strength to kill the Mad Monk Void Butcherer, that he made these people wary.

At this moment, more people entered the restaurant, and everyone’s gazes were drawn over.

In front was sir Feng. He wore his dark, Black Wolf uniform that had a shimmering wolf embroidered on it. It was only visible from a special angle. The wolf bared its fangs, moving as his clothes rippled as if it were alive.

He carried a green scabbard made from sharkskin, holding a Wind-entwining blade with a golden guard embedded with a green cat’s eye gem. The triangle eye tilted upwards slightly as if it constantly looked down on everyone.

However, what Li Qingshan saw was that he shone with a glow similar to spiritual artifacts. Without any introduction, two words appeared in his head, Innate master!

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Chapter 76 – The Might of the Hawkwolf Guard

“A Hawkwolf guard!” Lü Tingrui cried out. Chu Xin finally stopped smiling, while Wei Dandong’s face became sheet-white. Wan Hao’s straightened back seemed to shirk back slightly.

Only then did Li Qingshan notice sir Feng’s attire. As expected, it was much more majestic than the fakes that he was wearing. The part that stood out the most was indeed the iron wolf tablet that hung on his waist. It was just like the wolf on his clothes. The tablet was not large, but it shone brightly. It was ten times more dazzling than the staff stabbed into the ground.

Liu Hong and hall chief Wu followed behind. Looking at the restaurant full of people, they all felt surprised. In just half a month, so many masters had been drawn over here. Qingyang city had never been so busy before.

Liu Hong gazed at the staff deeply, once again confirming that the news he received was not fake. He thought, Li Qingshang, oh Li Qingshan. You are impressive. Unfortunately, a Hawkwolf guard is here today. Even if you’re a dragon, you’ll have to stay coiled. Even if you’re a tiger, you’ll have to remain crouching.

Wan Hao said, “Even the Hawkwolf guards plan on interfering with a conflict of the jianghu like this?”

Chu Xin smiled bitterly. “Sir, you’re already an innate master, so why must you contend with us? What did this hall chief Wu offer you? Feel free to state it. I won’t bargain at all.”

Before Lü Tingrui and Wei Dandong could say anything, sir Feng spoke. His voice was high-pitched and sharp, but his words were even sharper than his voice. “All of you, piss off!”

Everyone’s expressions changed. A storm seemed to be brewing in the entire restaurant from his single sentence.

Hall chief Wu added by borrowing the Hawkwolf guard’s might, “Sir Feng wants you to piss off. Haven’t you heard him?”

Li Qingshan frowned as well. How arrogant of this Hawkwolf guard. With his eyes that had been awakened by oxen tears, he could tell that while this sir Feng was stronger than everyone present, he was not unfathomably powerful.

If these first-rate masters worked together, using their trump cards and sacrificing all of these disciples as cannon fodder, it was extremely likely that they could kill him on the spot. And, these first-rate masters all had their own territories. They were all people who could raise a clamour with a flip of a hand, and they all could kill without batting an eye. Now that someone had insulted them before so many of their own disciples, how was it possible for them to endure the humiliation?

Swish! The four first-rate masters all leapt to their feet before leaping out the window without saying anything. They had actually all ‘pissed off’. Their vicious threats before were absolutely nothing. It was like they had raised their hands and viciously slapped themselves across the face, producing a clear and crisp smack.

Even if they urgently needed the spiritual ginseng to save their lives or extend their lifespans, they were afraid of offending the Hawkwolf Guard. As people of the jianghu, they did not lack the courage to throw their lives at a person. However, sir Feng did not represent a single person.

Their disciples followed behind them in dejection, all of them vanishing with the pitter-pattering of footsteps. The huge restaurant became empty in the blink of an eye, only leaving Li Qingshan standing where he was before, stupefied.

“Stunned is the jianghu by sir Feng’s presence!” Hall chief Wu sucked up in a hurry.

Sir Feng’s expression eased up slightly. He became rather complacent, very satisfied with the results. He did not even walk over, gesturing at Li Qingshan and saying, “Offer up the spiritual ginseng!”

He could get four first-rate masters to piss off with a single sentence, so there was even less reason for him to be polite against Li Qingshan alone. Li Qingshan should have succumbed to his might as well, handing over the spiritual ginseng obediently. As for what the Iron Fist school wanted, that was a whole different matter.

Li Qingshan lowered his head. His expression was actually rather melancholy. Something called his romanticised wuxia dream had shattered.¹

Hall chief Wu said impatiently, “Hurry up!” It was as if he was not taking something from someone, but taking back something that belonged to him.

Liu Hong said, “Qingshan, quickly. Hall chief Wu has already agreed to let you join the Iron Locks hall. All you have to do is nod, and you’ll immediately become an important figure of the Iron Fist school. You’ll be able to go to Jiaping, or even a great place like Clear River. I can only be envious of your opportunities.”

Li Long also muffled his voice, “Qingshan, just agree!”

“Who is it? Who dares to make trouble in my great Qingyang?!” Ye Dachuan rushed over with a few officers.

Hall chief Wu said in displeasure, “Who are you?” He completely ignored Ye Dachuan’s attire as an official. He could tell with a single glance that he did not possess the slightest trace of inner force or true qi, so he thought to himself, To think that any old person is bold enough to butt into matters these days!

Ye Dachuan said with his head held high, “I am the district magistrate of Qingyang, the brother-in-law of the sir prefect.” Then he studied sir Feng and glanced at the tablet on his waist. “A Black Wolf guard! You must be the reinforcements sent by the sir prefect. You’ve come well. I will report your merit back to the prefect.”

When he heard there were a group of jianghu here, he even became afraid to show himself, but when he heard a Hawkwolf guard had arrived, he immediately stuck out his chest and rushed over. As he spoke, he even patted sir Feng’s shoulder.

Right now, Li Qingshan really did find Ye Dachuan’s courage quite admirable.

Sir Feng frowned and moved his foot, dodging Ye Dachuan’s hand. He gripped his Wind-entwining blade with his right hand, but he was still fearful of the two words, ‘sir prefect’, so he did nothing. “I have official matters to attend to, so please step aside, sir.”

Ye Dachuan said, “What official matters? Oh, you’re talking about Qingshan. He’s the sheriff of my district. Technically speaking, he even outranks you. Hahaha!”

The structure of the Hawkwolf Guard included hawk commanders and wolf commanders. The hawk was primary, while the wolf was secondary, leading the pack of wolves. The hawk commander would often hold the post of sheriff as well. This was why Li Qingshan’s uniform as a sheriff was a simplified version of the Black Wolf uniform. At the same time, Jiaping and Qingyang were technically both districts, so Li Qingshan obviously outranked an officer as the sheriff.

As if he had been utterly humiliated, sir Feng drew his standard issue Wind-entwining blade with a swish. It erupted with two feet of light, leaving a slash seven feet in length on the ground.

Ye Dachuan staggered backwards in fright and tripped on the door sill. He rolled quite far away with his round body. The officers called out, “Sir!” They wanted to stop him, but they were knocked over to the ground instead.

Whether it be authority or status, you would be run over by others very quickly without strength, tearing down your authority and shattering your status.

However, at the end of the day, it was still Ye Dachuan’s government position that saved him. If anyone else had spoken to sir Feng in such a bold manner, they would be cut down even if they were first-rate masters.

Sir Feng decided to not waste any more words on Ye Dachuan. He directly said to Li Qingshan, “Hand over the spiritual ginseng. Don’t make me say that a third time.” The shining blade in his hand surged with light and chilling murderous aura.

Li Qingshan could not help but be amazed. So this was an innate master. He considered it and said, “Fuck off!”

Sir Feng doubted if he had misheard. He became stunned for an entire second. There was a burst of laughter somewhere, and sir Feng became utterly infuriated. “Die!” His blade swept through the air. He wanted to kill Li Qingshan first, and then kill the person who had laughed at him secretly.

With the blade several inches from his face, Li Qingshan felt a chill, sealing off all possibilities of dodging. He grabbed the staff beside him and directed it towards the blade.

Clang! The seat that Li Qingshan sat on shattered, and a deep gash appeared on the glowing staff. Even its glow dimmed significantly.

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1. If you don’t know what wuxia exactly is, it’s kind of more than a genre. It’s more of a spirit in books, of a romanticised, lawless world of martial arts, the jianghu, where chivalry, bravery, and heroism exists in many people. Li Qingshan is utterly devastated by the fact that something like that doesn’t truly exist.

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Chapter 77 – Scarlet Wolf Commander

“Alright, alright, alright!” Sir Feng said, “I won’t kill you today, but I will sever the tendons of your arms and hands and take you back to the Hawkwolf gaol for ‘treatment’!”

The Hawkwolf gaol!

Even hall chief Wu, who had come with sir Feng, shuddered when he heard these two words. The Hawkwolf gaol was the in-house jail of the Hawkwolf Guard. They used it for interrogating confessions out of criminals. It was rumored that they possessed a hundred and eight different methods of torture, and not a single person had managed to survive more than ten. Even the tough men of the jianghu would have their minds crushed to pieces, kneeling on the ground and begging them for a quick death.

Li Qingshan’s hand reached towards the Cursive Sword Calligraphy on his back. He was already ready to use force. Everything had happened suddenly, and with how arrogant sir Feng was, it would be useless even if he ate the spiritual ginseng now.

With his Cursive Sword Calligraphy, he might have an opportunity to kill this person here and now. He had seen a few spiritual artifacts so far, and none of them could compare to the one he currently possessed. However, he was not completely confident. Even first-rate masters had their own trump cards, so what kind of trump card would an innate master who originated from a major organisation possess?

“Governance of Legalism—Blade Aura of the Death Sentence!”

Sir Feng’s bearing changed. He raised his blade over his head, and the light on the blade condensed into a blade aura three feet in length.

The death sentence referred to execution as well as the penalty of death.

Before the blade had even moved, a bearing, a desolate aura that had transcended martial arts struck Li Qingshan’s mind violently. He felt like he was a person on the death row, having reached the end of his path, kneeling on the execution platform with his eyes closed and waiting for the blade to fall and take his life. He was unable to even muster the will to resist.

Even if regular first-rate masters could maintain their willpower before the blade, their martial arts would still be drastically weakened. They would probably be done for. However, what kind of person was Li Qingshan? Red light shone in his eyes as his demonic nature, his murderous nature, immediately obliterated this influence.

“The Tiger Demon’s Fierce Roar!” All of the true qi within him surged violently. With his bellow, all of the jars of alcohol stored within the restaurant exploded at the same time.

“The Ox Demon Butts its Horns!” The straight buddhist staff in his hand stabbed towards the blade along a profound path.

If sir Feng’s blade was the executioner’s blade about to take his life, then he was a criminal beyond the law.

Their auras immediately rose to the very peak. Just when the blade and the staff were about to collide, just when life and death would be decided, two streaks of red light shot over and knocked both weapons flying.

Sir Feng roared out in anger and surprise, “Who is it?!”

Li Qingshan said nothing. He was also shocked. However, when he looked at what had knocked away their weapons, he was left even more speechless. They were not some divine weapon used by gods, but peanuts. They seemed like ordinary peanuts, yet they maintained their complete shapes after knocking away the blade and staff.

“You! You’re called Feng Zhang, right? If you spent the same amount of time on cultivating as you do with harassing children, you wouldn’t still be a second layer Qi Practitioner.”

The voice floated through the surroundings from everywhere, making it impossible to discern its origins. Suddenly, Li Qingshan raised his head and looked at the beams above the restaurant. He caught a glimpse of light.

“Get down here!” Feng Zhang followed Li Qingshan’s gaze and pulled out a talisman from his sleeve, shooting it at the beams.

The talisman tore through the air, transforming into a fireball that flew even faster.

Even when he was standing on the ground, Li Qingshan could feel the startling heat. If the fireball had directly landed on him, his fate would be obvious. These were the methods of innate masters. There was no need for them to resort to such desperate measures like Xiong Xiangwu had, biting through his tongue. They could directly activate the talisman with true qi, and from how easily Feng Zhang had used it, he clearly possessed more than a single talisman.

A figure leapt down from the beams. He extended his hand and grabbed the fireball. Landing on the ground, he crushed it in his hands easily.

As if he had done something not worthy of any attention, he looked at Li Qingshan and said, “That’s strange. You’re just a first layer Qi Practitioner, yet you can see me?” He was able to tell with a single glance that inside Li Qingshan’s body was not inner force, but true qi.

Only now did Li Qingshan see the person. He seemed to be twenty-five or twenty-six years old. His eyebrows were like crescent moons; his eyes were like stars in the cold night sky, and his face was like jade. He was wrapped in spiritual qi that was similar to flowing water, which made him seem like a beacon in the darkness, allowing Li Qingshan to spot him.

The scarlet clothes he wore were similar to the Black Wolf uniform in design, but they were much larger than the Black Wolf uniform. They were also embroidered, detailing a scarlet wolf howling at the sky. He carried a similar tablet on his waist, but it was made out of scarlet bronze.

“S- Scarlet Wolf commander!” Hall chief Wu had never seen one before, but he had heard about them before. Among the Hawkwolf Guard, scarlet bronze was a rank higher than black iron, while wolf commanders led the pack of wolves. Within the entire Clear River prefecture, only a few people possessed more authority than him. He stood above thousands of people and was a person of great authority who could decide the fates of people with a single word.

“Commander Hua!” Feng Zhang, who had been so arrogant before, was now like a rat that had seen a mouse. He was filled with so much regret that he was tempted to slap himself in the face.

He could not be blamed for being rash. He was young, and he had joined the Hawkwolf Guard, so he had become complacent due to his age. He had grown accustomed to being arrogant on a daily basis, so when he came to a tiny city like Qingyang, he did not take anyone seriously. He had forced four first-rate masters into retreating with a single sentence, so his conceit had reached the utter limit. Li Qingshan’s refusal to comply had taken him by surprise, so he attacked out of fury, but his attack failed.

He was just about to use his special technique to redeem himself, but he had been interrupted, losing the weapon in the process. Obviously, he would not think too much about it. No matter how unbridled the person was, could he be more unbridled than the Hawkwolf Guard? However, never did he think of a Scarlet Wolf commander. It had to be mentioned that regular Scarlet Wolves would never leave the Clear River prefecture even if they had the time to spare. He felt like he had suddenly come across a huge shark in a tiny pool. He was filled with disbelief and panic.

“Do you still remember me? We’ve only met once!”

“This subordinate would never dare to forget commander Hua. It’s surprising that commander Hua remembers me.” Feng Zhang bowed his head politely.

Every single new member of the Black Wolf guard in the Clear River prefecture would report to the prefectural city and meet the two commanders. Feng Zhang was no exception either. He obviously could not forget about his boss’s boss, Hua Chengzan or commander Hua.

Hua Chengzan said, “Weren’t you assigned to Zhuo Zhibo’s command in Jiaping city? Why are you here?”

Feng Zhang thought rapidly. His nervousness and alertness had even exceeded when he clashed with Li Qingshan. He gathered his thoughts and assembled something, but just as he was about to answer.

Hua Chengzan waved his hand and said, “Forget it. Old Wang is here too. You better come see him!”

Old Wang!

Feng Zhang’s heart shuddered. Hua Chengzan obviously was not talking about a certain neighbour called old Wang¹, but the chief personnel for upholding the law, the Scarlet Hawk commander Wang Pushi. Due to his name, people gave him the nickname of ‘old Wang’, but there were not a lot of people who were bold enough to call him that. The people of the jianghu had a saying, “You would rather meet the king of hell than old Wang. Once you meet old Wang, you would be meeting the king of hell.”²

The silent hall chief Wu felt like his brain had just exploded. He just wanted to steal a spiritual ginseng from a junior, yet he somehow managed to get such important figures involved? Let alone him, a mere hall chief, but even protectors or even the master of the Iron Fist school had to be careful around them, smiling and obliging to everything that they said. Why would they appear together in a measly city like Qingyang?

Hua Chengzan then said to Li Qingshan, “Kid, come. There’s someone who wants to see you!”

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1. A certain neighbour called old Wang is an allusion to a popular Chinese joke. Basically, this neighbour might be your wife’s secret lover, might be the actual father to your child, or he might be the person you vent to, or he just might be the butt of a joke. You can say that old Wang is just as obscene as it sounds in English.

2. Wang also means ‘king’ in this case. It’s a very common Chinese surname, but the saying on the jianghu is a play on words between the ‘king of hell’ and ‘old Wang’.

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Chapter 78 – White Hawk Commander

Li Qingshan could only follow him. Turning him down right now would just be inviting humiliation. Before absolute strength, no one could say ‘no’. However, in the meantime, he rapidly thought about everything he had seen and heard just now. What are second layer Qi Practitioners about? Wasn’t it supposed to be the innate realm? The people I’m about to see are also important figures of the Hawkwolf Guard, but why do they want to see me? Is it for the spiritual ginseng as well?

His mind was filled with questions that could not be answered. The strength of the government had exceeded his imaginations as well. He would be better off saying that the powerful had created the government and ruled over the world than saying that the government had used wealth and glory to recruit powerful people to serve them. With great power comes great responsibility was just a twisted concept of American movies. The reality was that with great power comes great authority.

As he thought, the three of them made their way out of the city. Hua Chengzan was at the very front, advancing as if he were almost floating. He moved faster and faster, passing by without leaving a single trace.

Feng Zhang utilised all of his true qi and worked hard to follow behind him. Although he was nowhere near as graceful as Hua Chengzan, his movements did seem similar.

On the other hand, Li Qingshan was nowhere near as elegant as any of them, leaping and bounding about. He would cross several dozen steps with a single step, moving like a wild beast rushing along the ground, utilising every single bone and muscle in his body. He possessed a form of primal, coarse extravagance, but he actually managed to keep up with them.

Among the three of them, Hua Chengzan and Feng Zhang used their qi, while Li Qingshan used his strength. A difference between them immediately appeared.

Feng Zhang thought, If this kid flees with his full strength, I really might not be able to keep up with him. It looks like he isn’t as simple as regular first-rate masters. Once I see commander Wang, I’ll rat him out and get his martial arts crippled first. Let’s see then.

Hua Chengzan’s insight was much greater than that. He also secretly evaluated Li Qingshan. A first layer Qi Practitioner. His true qi is still very weak, so it must be due to the effects of the spiritual ginseng. He’s also practising some sort of method that focuses on the body, so his vitality is very powerful.

Feng Zhang mustered up his courage and asked, “Commander Hua, may I ask why you’ve come here with commander Wang? Just what crucial matter requires both commanders to be mobilised?”

Hua Chengzan glanced past the two of them with a smile. “Boss Gu has come. As for the details, even I don’t know.”

All Li Qingshan saw was Feng Zhang becoming dazed for quite a long moment before suddenly returning to his senses. His expression changed drastically, and all of his true qi immediately stirred wildly. He staggered and almost fell over before regaining his footing after quite some difficulty and catching up again with his head lowered.

Li Qingshan became even more curious. Who was this ‘boss Gu’? Hua Chengzan had said someone wanted to see him earlier and not ‘old Wang’ wanted to see him. Was it perhaps this ‘boss Gu’?

Outside Qingyang city in a silver world of ice and snow, a rectangular dining table had somehow been set up beneath a lone pine tree. It was a small table made from narra wood. On the table were a few delicately-crafted drinking vessels. On the side was a small, red-clay stove that heated a small tripod.

Two people sat before each other, savouring alcohol and admiring the snow. They were so refined and graceful that they seemed like they were from out of this world.

One of them was the Wang Pushi who possessed paramount authority over the law in the Clear River prefecture. He was actually in his eighties already, but due to practising qi, he only seemed to be in his forties. His face that was renowned for being stern was currently overflowing with smiles like it was springtime.

A hawk had delivered a message, summoning him from over a thousand kilometers away from the prosperous Clear River city to this tiny, remote, backwater city of Qingyang. However, he was not mad at all. Instead, he felt honored.

“Old Wang, your cultivation has improved again. Before long, the Clear Water prefecture won’t be enough to contain you.”

Not everyone could call Wang Pushi by this nickname. Even when vice commander Hua Chengzan called him old Wang, he would receive glares. However, he felt even more honor when the person before him called him that. He bowed his head. “I am willing to serve sir as a wolf.”

“Originally, I wanted little Hua to take over your position, but he’s just.”

“Little Hua is far too much of a disappointment. He has let down sir’s expectations. Oh, they’re here.”

“Big boss Gu, I’ve brought the people!” Hua Chengzan smiled before making his way over and reaching towards the tripod. “Old Wang, is the wine ready yet?”

Wang Pushi knocked away Hua Chengzan’s hand and glared at him. “Don’t call me that. Sit down obediently. The wine needs to be cooked for forty-five minutes. Only then will it be flavourful enough.”

Hua Chengzan inhaled through his nose, sitting down with crossed legs as he covered his hand. “Old Wang, you’re far too heavy-handed.” He said to ‘boss Gu’, “Do you know how he harasses me usually?”

With his awakened eyes, Li Qingshan spotted the two people below the lone pine tree from afar. If Hua Chengzan’s spiritual qi was like flowing water, then Wang Pushi’s would be like frozen ice. It was heavy and consolidated. Every move of his could invoke the energy in the surroundings. It was filled with an indescribable profoundness.

However, when Li Qingshan arrived below the pine tree, all of his attention became focused on the ‘boss Gu’. No matter how profound or wondrous Wang Pushi was, he was unable to shift his gaze.

Her set of pure-white clothes were large and graceful, gently laying on the table as if they were a part of the white world.

With her alluring appearance, she looked at Li Qingshan with a faint smile; she was as elegant and as beautiful as snow, yet she also hid startling talent and ability.

Originally, Li Qingshan did not believe in love at first sight. He originally believed he would never experience this so-called breathtaking feeling ever again, as he had steeled himself in his previous life under the barrage of countless beauties from the internet.

But now, he believed in love at first sight, and he believed in the existence of happiness that his previous life could not provide. His heartbeat sped up, basically unable to keep himself in check.

He had once sworn after drinking that he would ‘sleep with the most beautiful woman’. Originally, that was just a joke he made after getting drunk, but now a strong desire bloomed within him. He wanted to take her as his wife!

However, Feng Zhang’s reaction was the exact opposite to his. He only took a glance before lowering his head. It was as if the person in front of him was not a great beauty, but a dreadful monster.

Hua Chengzan glanced past Feng Zhang with contempt before looking at Li Qingshan with a smile. However, there was a smear of sorrow in his eyes. Only the most arrogant, the proudest of people would be bold enough to look directly into her eyes before being immersed by them and losing control over themselves.

‘Boss Gu’ coughed gently and wrinkled her nose. “How many days has it been since you showered?”

The voice was as pleasant as the gurgling of a mountain spring, but her words immediately dumbfounded Li Qingshan. A certain image of perfection collapsed in his mind. He was very tempted to scream out, “You can’t say something like that!” In his mind, even if she could not make flowers bloom, her words filled with sweetness, like in the fairytales, at least it should have been much more poetic or aesthetic in nature.

Hua Chengzan could not help but burst out in laughter.

“I…” Li Qingshan was momentarily left at a loss as for how to answer. Although he spent everyday training, that did not necessarily mean he smelled! However, all thanks to that, he managed to recover from his state of infatuation.

Only now did Li Qingshan notice that a small, silver hawk hung from her waist. It was exactly the same as the one on Wang Pushi’s waist in terms of design. Under the reflection of the snow, a white hawk could vaguely be seen stretching its wings on her white clothes. Every single feather was meticulously embroidered, just like real plumage.

She was a White Hawk commander.

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Chapter 79 – Gu Yanying

Li Qingshan said, “I’m Li Qingshan. May I ask for your name, big sis?” Originally, he wanted to call her young miss, but while she was noble, she was unlike the young misses of large clans who had secluded childhoods. As a result, he wanted to call her lady, but while she was young, it did not match her, or he should say that they were unworthy of her.

Perhaps fairy was the best choice. Although he felt nothing towards this word before, he just felt like he was lowering himself somehow if he called her that. In the end, he could only unawkwardly refer to her as ‘big sis’, just like Xu Xian who met the White Maiden on the West Lake.¹

Hua Chengzan really did find Li Qingshan to be rather admirable. For him back then, he could not even string out a proper sentence after seeing her. This kid from the mountains really did have quite the courage.

“I’m Gu Yanying. Do you know why I’ve called you here, little bro Qingshan?” Gu Yangying gently swung the delicate, jade folding fan in her hands. She smiled in a rather joking manner, but her gaze was distant.

Little bro Qingshan!? Li Qingshan would much rather be called the Descended Tiger by the people of the jianghu for the rest of his life than that. However, after thinking about it, he was only fifteen or sixteen years old. In her eyes, perhaps he really was like a little brother.

The sorrow in the depths of Hua Chengzan’s eyes grew heavier.

Wang Pushi frowned deeply. Li Qingshan was in no way worthy of being called little bro by her, but he knew she was unrestrained and willing to go along with many things, so he could not say anything. Upon further thought, if she were not like that, he would have no right to sit at the same table as her.

Li Qingshan thought about what he possessed that other people knew about and that he was able to part with. There was only the spiritual ginseng. “Have you come for the spiritual ginseng as well?” If that were the case, he could only hand over the spiritual ginseng, not because he had been charmed, but because his strength was insufficient. Although he felt love, he was not blinded by it. He would not easily throw aside his morales and dignity because of it. If Gu Yanying really had come for the spiritual ginseng, his impression of her would plummet significantly.

Wang Pushi broke into laughter, while Hua Chengzan had already collapsed from laughing.

Gu Yanying found it both vexing and amusing. She curled her lips. “Who would want something that your saliva has already gotten all over?!” In the eyes of these first-rate masters of the jianghu, the spiritual ginseng was a treasure worth just as much as their lives, yet in her eyes, it was just something coated in saliva.

“The wine is ready!” Wang Pushi had been keeping an eye on the time. He placed the tripod on the table, and the moment he lifted the lid, Li Qingshan saw streaks of light emerge from the cracks, just like in a certain animated show he had seen in his previous life.

The heavy fragrance of alcohol permeated the air, and the surrounding snow rapidly melted and receded. The pine tree next to them clearly stretched out as that happened, becoming even more verdant.

Li Qingshan sniffed the fragrance, and he felt all of his muscles and bones lighten slightly. The true qi in his body immediately became lively as well. He could imagine what would happen if he drank the wine. The alcohol would be countless times better than the spiritual alcohol that he had simply steeped with the spiritual ginseng.

Li Qingshan’s face reddened. He really felt like an ignorant villager right now, guarding his chunk of preserved meat and treating it like the greatest delicacy in the world. He was utterly embarrassed, so embarrassed that he wanted to vanish on the spot. As a matter of fact, he even wished that they had come for the spiritual ginseng instead now.

Gu Yanying sniffed gently and smiled. “Hundred-year Bodhi Brew! You’re far too kind, old Wang!”

Wang Pushi said, “I know you like drinking, commander, so I managed to get my hands on some from old brother Tian. Out of the hundred schools of thought, the agricultural school is still the best at making alcohol.” Afterwards, he personally poured the wine into a jug and glared at Hua Chengzan. “Why aren’t you pouring the wine?”

Hua Chengzan stood up and filled up two cups. Wang Pushi said, “And yourself?” Only then did Hua Chengzan giggle, pouring himself a cup as well.

Gu Yanyin smiled. “Fate has brought us together! Little bro Qingshan, you should taste some too!” However, she ignored Feng Zhang on the side.

Feng Zhang’s ears perked up. Sniffing the fragrance, his heart felt like it was on fire. If the spiritual ginseng was not particularly tempting to him, then the Bodhi Brew would be enough for him to lose his life over for.

Just one cup! One cup, and he would be able to break through the second layer and become a third layer Qi Practitioner. However, no one mentioned him. He was afraid of blaming Gu Yanying and the other two, so he could only grind his teeth at Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan lowered his head silently, but Hua Chengzan had already poured a cup, shoving it into his hand forcefully. “Come, come, come. Let’s just say you’re lucky. Even I can’t normally drink something as good as this.”

Li QIngshan lowered his head and looked at the golden-yellow alcohol in the cup. He knew that if he tried to turn it down now, he would just appear to treat himself with far too much humility. As a result, he tilted his head backwards and drank all of the alcohol in the cup.

“Oi!” Hua Chengzan wanted to stop him, but it was already too late, while Wang Pushi had never looked at Li Qingshan properly the entire time. He only just wondered why Gu Yanying had called him over and had given him the precious Bodhi Brew to drink.

Gu Yanying showed no intention of stopping him. Instead, she just smiled like she was watching a show.

Before Li Qingshan could even taste the wine properly, a ball of hot spiritual qi exploded in his body, rampaging through him. His spiritual qi failed to stop it at all.

Oh no. The wine contained spiritual qi, and it was far more than he had imagined it to be. The glow and fragrance only divulged the very surface of the drink.

Feng Zhang was delighted inside. Bumpkin! The Bodhi Brew was supposed to be tasted and ingested slowly. If it were drunk too quickly, the powerful spiritual qi would destroy the dantian and meridians like a flood breaching through a dam.

However, Li Qingshan did not explode, as he had never developed any meridians or a dantian. His entire body shone as he mobilised all of his true qi to devour and convert the spiritual qi, while his body absorbed the spiritual qi like a sponge, gradually making the violent spiritual qi settle down.

Gu Yanying stared at Li Qingshan. Her eyes were just like a hawk’s as she quickly played around with a bronze coin with the tip of her fingers on her left hand. As her gaze focused on him, Li Qingshan experienced a chilling feeling where even his soul had been seen through.

A while later, Li Qingshan completely digested the spiritual qi in him, and Gu Yanying’s gaze parted from him, looking away as if she were thinking of something.

Hua Chengzan let out a sigh of relief. As it seemed, training the body was not completely useless.

Wang Pushi instead found this rather strange. The spiritual qi within the Bodhi Brew was so powerful that it would not even be strange if it directly elevated someone to a third layer Qi Practitioner, but Li Qingshan showed no signs of breaking through. He remained at the first layer, but his true qi became much more powerful.

If it were not for the fact that he had drunk a cup as well, he would have doubted the Bodhi Brew to be fake or having not reached maturity.

Li Qingshan exhaled and clasped his hands towards the three people. “Many thanks!” He had never thought that not only would he keep the spiritual ginseng, but he would even get a cup of wine to drink as well. However, he felt somewhat uneasy for some reason.

“What do you think? Do you still think I’ve come for your spiritual ginseng? Little bro Qingshan?” Gu Yanying purposefully touched on a soft spot in a mocking manner. Li Qingshan was so young, yet he acted so solemnly. He was very amusing. Li Qingshan said with his chest held high. “I’m just a kid from a mountain village, so it’s not like I can avoid being ignorant. However, I don’t understand that since your sirs from the Hawkwolf Guard are so impressive, why has the Black Wind Stronghold pillaged and plundered freely for all these years, without anyone to deal with them?” He seemed to be questioning them, saying that they enjoyed all their benefits while they neglected their work.

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1. A reference to Legend of the White Snake, one of the four great Chinese folktales, which the author’s previous book was based off as well.

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Chapter 80 – A Frog in a Well

Wang Pushi’s expression was rather ugly. Qingyang also fell under his region of control, but how was he supposed to know what the Black Wind stronghold was?

Hua Chengzan said after thinking about it. “I think this place is on our list, but it’s just far too low. We haven’t had the time to handle it in all these years.”

Only in the distant future would Li Qingshan find out that the entire Hawkwolf Guard would possess a list, ranking people according to their strength, their crimes, their influence, and the benefits from their deaths. The Hawkwolf Guard would send powerful people to kill them one by one from the top to the bottom. This was the blacklist that the people of the jianghu feared deeply. If you could make it onto the blacklist, then it demonstrated you were powerful enough, but it also meant that you were close to dying. However, due to various figures constantly making it onto the list, a place like the Black Wind stronghold would basically never raise any attention.

“You talk too much,” Wang Pushi growled.

Feng Zhang saw how Li Qingshan had gotten on commander Wang’s bad side, so he thought the opportunity had presented itself. He mustered up his courage and said, “Commanders, this kid stole the spiritual ginseng and killed innocent people. He has slandered the might of our Hawkwolf Guard…”

“You’re lying to me?” Gu Yanying interrupted. She was not asking him, but exclaiming in surprise as if Feng Zhang had done something very unbelievable.

“No, I haven’t…” Feng Zhang wanted to quibble, but when Wang Pushi gazed over with a darkened expression, he immediately felt like he had been grabbed by the neck, unable to utter another word.

“Our Hawkwolf Guard may not be composed of kind-hearted people, but there’s no reason for us to stoop to such a low level, led around by the people of the jianghu and stringing up these lies.” Gu Yanying shook her head and no longer paid any more attention to Feng Zhang. Instead, she said to Wang Pushi, “Old Wang, have you brought a map?”

Feng Zhang’s expression basically seemed like he had been stabbed by a knife. He was sheet-white, without a shred of blood, as he sweated profusely. Anyone who had cultivated to his level would be able to control their own bodies, so his behaviour only demonstrated just how shaken up he was.

“I have!” Wang Pushi pulled out a large map from a pouch on his waist.

Li Qingshan’s eyes widened. A spatial pocket!

The thick map that was made from the leather of some animal was unfolded on the small table. Its surface shone as well, clearly not an ordinary map.

Gu Yanying said, “Inject spiritual qi into it and think of the two words, Qingyang city.”

Li Qingshan placed his hand on the map and thought of ‘Qingyang city’. An extremely dim speck of light lit up in a corner of the map, and he received a lot of information in his head, including the location, area, population, and so on of Qingyang city.

Gu Yangying said, “Now think of the Clear River Prefecture.”

With another thought, over a hundred specks of light lit up simultaneously. They were like a galaxy. Every single speck was a city, while Qingyang city’s speck was basically the dimmest out of all of them. The brightest speck in the centre was the Clear River city.

A hundred and seventeen cities spanning a region of one thousand five hundred kilometers across; this was the Clear River prefecture.

Li Qingshan already knew that this world was vast, but he never expected it to be so big. He had heard stories from the elders of the village in the past, but he only treated them as exaggerated tales. He never thought they would actually be true.

He suddenly understood why the prefect would just casually give Ye Dachuan the position of district magistrate despite his ignorance and incompetence, as a small city like this was absolutely insignificant compared to the entire prefecture. Meanwhile, the Black Wind stronghold was even more insignificant. Unless the Black Wind stronghold directly raised a flag and decided to revolt, any news about them would struggle to reach the Clear River city that was over a thousand kilometers away.

Not only was the government of this world powerful, but they were terrifyingly powerful. Only because the land was just too vast did they give the government official autonomy with their reign over their region. However, autonomy did not mean freedom.

Whether it be the Black Wind stronghold or the Drawn Reins village, no matter how great of a mess they created, they would only be doing it in a tiny region. If the mess was too great, they could just send a Hawkwolf guard or two to crush them to death. They would not be able to shake the foundations of the government at all. The government’s reign was basically more rigid than any other nation or empire he had known before.

“I watch over the Ruyi commandery, which contains nine prefectures. Half a year ago in the Yuecheng prefecture, the White Lotus cult sacrificed an entire city in order to refine an arcane treasure. That was around two hundred thousand people.” Gu Yanying tilted her head back and drank the cup of wine while Hua Chengzan filled it up again for her.

Two hundred thousand people! In Li Qingshan’s eyes, the Black Wind stronghold’s actions of slaughtering villages was already an act of evil, but who would have thought that there would be people thousands of times worse than that.

Li Qingshan instinctively searched for the Ruyi commandery on the map, and almost ten times as many specks lit up. However, from the map, the disappearance of a single speck only seemed like a small matter.

The Ruyi commandery spanned over ten thousand kilometers.

Although Li Qingshan did not have a particularly strong sense over geography, he still understood that this was larger than all of China from his previous life. At that moment, Gu Yanying was clearly right in front of him, yet she seemed to be up in the heavens, in a realm beyond his reach.

It was like a frog in a well, looking at the glory of a hawk in the sky. All it had was the strength to look up at it.

The hawk circled in the sky, searching for larger prey, so why would it look into the well and pay attention to the battle between a few critters? It had only stopped by the well today out of pure coincidence, spotting a special frog.

Wang Pushi asked carefully, “Commander, have you come this time for the sake of the White Lotus cult?”

The White Lotus Mother was a demonic cultivator at Golden Core. She was a terrifying figure he could not afford to provoke. Getting involved in a conflict like that would lead to nothing good. Commander Gu had led five encirclements against the White Lotus cult already. Although it would be a complete victory every time, just the number of White Wolf guards they lost would amount to over a dozen. With his strength as a Scarlet Hawk commander, he was only on par with White Wolf guards.

Gu Yanying smiled. “Then why would I come alone? The White Lotus Mother is injured and has already gone into hiding. I’ve only skimmed the surface of the Six Trigrams Divination, so I can’t find her. And, it’s not easy to kill Golden Core cultivators.” When she reached there, she looked at Li Qingshan again. She sighed inside about how her mastery over the Six Trigrams Divination really was insufficient. She could not even see through the person right in front of her.

Since it was not for the White Lotus cult, there really were not a lot of people within the Ruyi commandery that were enough for her to take action. Everyone looked over in confusion. Gu Yanying placed down the cup in her hand and paused slightly. She became pained. “It’s the Dark Queen. She has lost her cat. She wants me to find it.”

Looking for a cat! Li Qingshan was stunned. He had originally thought she had extremely important matters to attend to, looking to capture some terrifying figure. He had never expected that she would cross thousands of kilometers and come to the tiny city of Qingyang just to look for a cat.

Gu Yanying sighed. “I would rather go fight the White Lotus Mother.”

However, Wang Pushi and Hua Chengzan understood what ‘Dark Queen’ meant. They became extremely cautious, afraid to probe into the matter any further. This probably touched on the conflicts at the very top of the Green province. It was not something they could interfere with.

Gu Yanying continued to ramble, but her mouth remained busy between the words, downing cup after cup. When she reached there, the tripod of wine had already been emptied, and she developed a slight flush, just like a flower blooming in spring. She was utterly enchanting.

Gu Yanying suddenly stood up. “Alright, I’ve drunk it all, so I won’t say anything more.” She took out a bag from the jade ring on her hand and placed it on the table. “Take these spiritual stones as a token of my appreciation and cultivate well! Break through soon!”

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Chapter 81 – Great Ambitions

Wang Pushi glanced at the bag of spiritual stones. “Commander, t- that’s far too precious.” His Bodhi Brew was not even worth a tenth of that. Gu Yanying had clearly called him here to give him these spiritual stones. He was unable to describe the gratitude he felt.

“If I want you to take it, just take it. Am I supposed to be lacking such a measly amount of spiritual stones?” Gu Yanying said before turning to Hua Chengzan, “Little Hua, what you lack right now is not spiritual stones. Don’t just tell others to spend their time cultivating instead of harassing children. You don’t enjoy yourself enough, spending most of your time cultivating. Out of the eighteen commanders under me, only you’re still a Qi Practitioner. You have to understand that if you can’t undergo the heavenly tribulation and establish a foundation, you’re still just a mortal.”

Li Qingshan thought that it was no wonder that Gu Yanying knew Feng Zhang was lying. Just by sitting there, she had heard everything that happened in the city. In the eyes of ordinary people, this was truly an ability that only gods could possess.

Hua Chengzan giggled. “Yes, boss Gu. I will definitely throw my life away at cultivation.”

Only at the very end did Gu Yanying turn to Li Qingshan. “Little bro Qingshan, I’ll give you this map, along with a saying, ‘The Green province spans fifteen thousand kilometers. The jianghu is only but a corner.’”

With that, she took off. Her wide sleeves ruffled in the wind, like a brave hawk unfolding its winds.

Before Li Qingshan could even return to his senses, the figure that was even whiter than snow had disappeared into the horizon already.

As it turned out, flight really was possible!

He muttered the saying from Gu Yanying. He understood that if he remained in Qingyang city, he would probably never meet her again in his life.

In the cold winter, Feng Zhang was drenched in sweat as if he had just been scooped out from a pool of water. Now, he felt like he had just survived a disaster, so he inhaled deeply.

Wang Pushi’s expression became stern once more, immediately radiating with great pressure.

Li Qingshan suddenly noticed that the person right before him was an impressive, terrifying figure as well. Under Gu Yanying’s radiance, he seemed as ordinary as an uncle next door, but once Gu Yanying had left, his terrifying aura flooded over like lava from a volcano.

Li Qingshan instinctively felt fear and danger as if a blade was against his throat, about to behead him in the next moment. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, allowing the aura to crush him however it liked without moving at all. Under the tremendous pressure, his iron bones seemed to creak.

Feng Zhang fell onto his knees with a thud.

Wang Pushi looked over. He basically did not want to take another glance at Feng Zhang’s ugly actions. Compared to Li Qingshan, they were polar opposites.

“Leave behind your wolf tablet and piss off!” If he came across this situation at some other time, he would just scold Feng Zhang at most, but he really could not afford to humiliate himself like this in front of Gu Yanying. He was truly as furious as he could get inside. This bastard had actually thought he could fool Gu Yanying with his lies.

Although Gu Yanying had not directly stated it, nor did she become angry, just her single exclamation of surprise had determined Feng Zhang’s fate.

“Commander!” As if he had been struck by lightning, Feng Zhang cried out.

In Li Qingshan’s ears, it sounded like the final cry of sorrow before a bird would let out before it died. He thought, He’s just making you resign, that’s all. Why’re you acting like your parents died? That’s not manly at all.

He had no idea just what this meant to Feng Zhang, nor did he understand the difficulty in joining the Hawkwolf Guard. Various martial arts and cultivation methods that rarely ever appeared in the jianghu could be freely viewed in the library of the Hawkwolf Guard. No matter where he went, even when he came across people stronger than him, they would all have to treat him politely. His entire clan prided itself over this identity of his. Once this identity was taken away from him, he would just be a so-called ‘innate master’ of the jianghu.

However, Wang Pushi was known for his heart of steel. He would never take back something he had said. If Feng Zhang insisted on refusing, perhaps he could even lose his life. He placed the wolf tablet on the table with trembling hands and glanced at Li Qingshan.

Just what kind of glance was that? It was filled with resentment, enough resentment to skin him alive and eat his bones. Regular people would struggle to sleep for several months after receiving a glare, but Li Qingshan was no regular person. He glared right back without any fear or qualms. Having gone through all these matters, his willpower could no longer be compared to before.

In the end, it was Feng Zhang who shifted his gaze first, taking off and leaving in a hurry.

Wang Pushi said, “Take it!”

Li Qingshan went up to collect the map of the Green province carefully. Although this item could not be used for cultivation or killing enemies, it widened his horizons the most. It allowed him to learn the vastness of the world and his own personal insignificance in this world.

However, no matter how insignificant he was, there would be a day when he would prove that a frog would not remain a frog forever. He would definitely leap out of this well, unfurl his wings and fly towards the nine heavens, pursuing that unfathomable figure.

His experiences from this failed to shatter his confidence. Instead, it strengthened his ambition and heart, setting an even further goal.

Hua Chengzan only smiled on one side, but only three words existed in his mind. Ignorance is bliss. There will be one day when you understand just how distant you are from her, so distant that it cannot be made up by any fortuitous encounter, talent, or hard work. Even if you pursue her like this, you’ll never be able to get a step closer.

“And this.” Wang Pushi narrowed his eyes at the wolf tablet.

Li Qingshan was surprised. He picked up the wolf tablet, and a cool sensation filled his palm. He felt pleasant all over.

Not only was this forged from Black Ice Iron, but it could even consolidate the mind and prevent the wielder from suffering from cultivation deviation so easily, making cultivation much easier. It also came with many other wondrous uses.

Li Qingshan did not know about this, but he knew the item was significant. However, everything had happened so quickly that he had no idea how to react. In under an hour, he had become a Hawkwolf guard that the people of the jianghu feared so much, and all of this came from how Gu Yanying had treated him.

Wang Pushi stowed the table, stove, and tripod into the pouch on his waist. He stood up. “You’re still not a Hawkwolf guard yet. Go report to Zhuo Zhibo in Jiaping city!” He took out a metal baton and tossed it in the air. The baton swelled in size in the wind, becoming three meters long. As it hovered in the air, Wang Pushi stepped on it.

Hua Chengzan patted Li Qingshan’s shoulder and looked at him with an expression of praying for his wellbeing. He said a single word, “Run!”

The metal baton tore through the air, leaving behind a glowing trail.

“Oi, old Wang, wait for me!” Hua Chengzan crossed over a dozen meters in a single step and mounted the metal baton, vanishing into the night sky in the blink of an eye.

Before Li Qingshan could even become amazed by these methods that belonged to immortals, an intense aura of murderousness flooded over. He spotted Feng Zhang’s twisted face in a single glance as the fellow rushed over like a mad dog. He decided to follow Hua Chengzan’s advice for now and not confront the crazy Feng Zhang. He used the movement technique of the Tiger Demon Climbs the Mountain and bounded up the mountains.

As soon as he leapt up, a wind blade passed by his previous location, cutting the huge pine tree in half. Its trunk slowly slid down, collapsing loudly on the ground.

Li Qingshan glanced back and was startled by this. This probably was not purely due to Feng Zhang, but also due to his Wind-entwining blade. The benefits that came with joining the Hawkwolf guard really were impressive. It could not be compared to the mediocre spiritual artifacts used by first or second-rate people of the jianghu.

According to the black ox, the weapons that simply had their toughness and sharpness enhanced were not even real spiritual artifacts. Every single spiritual artifact should have possessed its own special effect. The blade that could unleash wind blades was a low grade spiritual artifact at the very least.

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Chapter 82 – Sheltering from the Snow and Wind in a Mountain God Temple (One)

Li Qingshan grabbed the Cursive Sword Calligraphy on his back. After drinking the Bodhi Brew, not only was his true qi filled to the brim, but his condition was even better than it had ever been before. As such, it was enough for him to power the spiritual artifact again. It would definitely be much sharper than the Wind-entwining blade.

However, he did not have complete confidence in being able to kill Feng Zhang with a single strike. His spiritual artifact was probably several grades higher than the Wind-entwining blade, making it a real treasure. If he failed to kill his enemy, news would spread, and he would probably attract people greater than just first-rate masters. There would be innate masters as well, or rather, Qi Practitioners.

And, he was still unable to control this spiritual artifact very well. Once he used it, it would drain all of his true qi, so if he failed, both his physical strength and speed would decline significantly. He would basically become a sitting duck.

The dark clouds shrouded the sky once more. In the pitch-black night, a person fled as another pursued. Li Qingshan used his extraordinary sight to constantly bound through the mountains, purposefully looking for rugged terrain. He climbed up cliffs and leapt over valleys. His surroundings constantly receded around him.

Feng Zhang chased him wildly with eyes red from rage as if he could also see through the night, but his vision was nowhere near as great as Li Qingshan’s. After all, Li Qingshan’s eyes had been awakened by the black ox’s tears. If they were on flat ground, perhaps Feng Zhang would have been able to catch up.

Unfortunately, they were in the mountains. The effects of Li Qingshan’s three forms of movement from the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging were basically amplified, making him unbelievably fast. And, with the rise and fall of the terrain, Feng Zhang could no longer locate Li Qingshan anymore after a few twists and turns.

Li Qingshan widened the distance between them. Like a hunting tiger, he hid in a snowy crevice below a cliff, clasping the Cursive Sword Calligraphy in hand. He even called out Xiao An. As long as Feng Zhang came over, he would go out. Even if he failed to kill him, he would wound him at the very least. They were deep in the mountains, so it gave him enough room to catch his breath. He would be able to chase Feng Zhang to his death; this really was quite the scheme.

With a great bellow, Feng Zhang’s resentful voice echoed through the mountains. “Li Qingshan, I’ll skin you alive and cut you into pieces! I will never spare you!” It was so loud that the accumulated snow collapsed in small avalanches.

Li Qingshan knew that Feng Zhang would not come for him anymore immediately, so he sighed in pity. Obviously, he did not take these threats to heart. He remained hidden for a while longer and only left the crevice after confirming that Feng Zhang had not chased over. He shook off the snow on him and made his way into the depths of the Boundless mountains.

After he received the map, he finally learnt the name of the myriad mountains he had stared at from afar for a decade. They were the Boundless mountains.

Vast without end, without bounds, was known as boundless. A broad, open mind was also known as boundless.

It was a good name!

He made his way up to a peak and gazed at the mountains stretching into the distance once more. He no longer felt lost inside. He saw structures in the distance and only when he hurried over to it did he discover that it was no village, but an abandoned temple for a mountain god. Aside from the main hall, most of the other structures had collapsed. However, it at least provided him with a place to shelter from the wind.

He was not afraid of the biting cold, but remaining in a world of ice and snow did sap his true qi significantly.

Under Xiao An’s assistance, he found a bear’s den. The bear was still hibernating for the winter, so it was not awake. As a result, Li Qingshan went up and killed it with a punch, carrying it back to the mountain god temple.

Due to the different ability he practised, Xiao An’s five senses were not as sharp as Li Qingshan’s, but he was extremely sensitive to living auras. Even Li Qingshan failed to discover the bear’s den under the snow immediately.

The main hall was empty. Even the altar table and plaques were missing; the villagers who lived nearby must have collected it to burn as firewood. However, Li Qingshan did discover a mighty mountain god that stood over three meters tall with a blue face and protruding teeth. It was actually a solid, wooden statue, standing on an altar as a whole piece. It was only covered in traces left behind by time. The villagers must have been afraid of blaspheming the god too much.

However, Li Qingshan was not worried by this. He had been spending time with a monster, and both he and Xiao An practised the abilities of daemons and demons, so there was no need for them to worship any ghosts or gods. He went up, and with a few easy strokes, he smashed the statue to pieces. He lit a fire in the main hall before skinning and deboning the huge bear. He did not need any tools at all. Just a simple swing of his nails would pierce through the tough bear skin and bear meat like paper.

The bear heart went to Xiao An for his dinner, while the bear skin was laid on the ground as a mat. The bear meat was placed on the fire.

It truly was speak of the devil. The black ox that Li Qingshan had been thinking of appeared right in front of him.

Li Qingshan jokingly thought that it was basically like the police in the movies, only appearing at the very end.

The black ox glanced at the statue in the crackling fire and nodded as if he were greatly satisfied. He asked, “How do you feel today?”

Li Qingshan said, “I feel like I know nothing, and I’ve been laughed at by others for no reason. You’ve never explained it properly. Even if I really achieve the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers, can I really defeat other people? And those Qi Practitioners and Golden Cores, what’s that all about?”

The black ox said, “Isn’t your understanding right now much deeper than if I tried to explain it to you? You will know very soon whether the ability I gave you is useful or not. As for those Qi Practitioners and Golden Cores, that’s a human way of dividing and labelling.”

Li Qingshan said, “Aren’t I a human?”

The black ox only smiled, which irritated Li Qingshan. He grabbed the bear meat and began wolfing it down. Many parts of it were still not thoroughly cooked and still bloody, but he actually did not find it to be disgusting at all. Instead, he felt it had a particular flavour to it. Before long, he had picked the bear clean.

He also felt he was a little inhuman, but as long as he could drink and eat, there was nothing wrong with that. After eating, he began exercising, practising his ability. He discovered that after drinking the cup of Bodhi Brew, only a film separated him from reaching the first layer of the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. However, he was unable to break through.

He asked the black ox for the reason, but the response did not surprise him at all. The Ox Demon’s Fist of Great Strength was steady and firm, requiring bitter practice, while the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging advanced through slaughter.

Slaughter! Li Qingshan lowered his head in thought.

In the pitch-black mountains, a single ball of light could reach very far away. Li Qingshan laid down on the bear skin, holding the Cursive Sword Calligraphy in his hand. He made Xiao An hide away as he quietly waited for his prey to bite the hook.

He heard steps and snapped open his eyes, emerging from the mountain god temple. However, he did not only see Feng Zhang. There were five other people beside him. Hall chief Wu, Wei Dandong, Chu Xin, Lü Tingrui, and Wan Hao—five-first rate masters—surrounded the mountain god temple, preventing Li Qingshan from fleeing.

Countless more shadows flickered about. They were all their disciples, with plenty being second-rate masters. Even the weakest were at the third-rate.

Li Qingshan had never thought that as he waited for Feng Zhang to bite the hook, he would draw so many people here. As it seemed, Feng Zhang had lost his mind to anger, but he was not an idiot. He knew to borrow the strength of others.

Feng Zhang saw Li Qingshan, and he was filled with joy. However, when he saw the wolf tablet on his waist, he was overcome with rage. It was exactly this person who had taken everything away from him. Before he could even say anything, Li Qingshan said, “Although I don’t know the names of the four of you, you’re all respected figures. Just earlier, he told you all to piss off, yet in the blink of an eye, you’re being ordered around by him. Don’t you find this humiliating?”

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Chapter 83 – Sheltering from the Snow and Wind in a Mountain God Temple (Two)

Wan Hao and Wei Dandong’s expressions were rather unnatural, but Chu Xin chuckled. “It’s all just business, so why would it have anything to do with humiliation?” He played around with the metal abacus in his hand, creating quite the rattle.

Lü Tingrui drew a thin, glowing sword and said, “Hand over the spiritual ginseng, and we’ll leave immediately!”

Feng Zhang had managed to get them to come by promising that everyone would receive a share of the spiritual ginseng that Li Qingshan possessed. Although the hall chief was rather dissatisfied with this, he would never be bold enough to object when he saw Feng Zhang’s darkened face.

Li Qingshan said nothing. He fished out the spiritual ginseng from the gourd, tossed it into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it. He clapped his hands. “It’s gone!”

The eyes of the masters rapidly dimmed as soon as they had lit up. Their expressions varied. There was despair, there was fury, and there was disappointment, but none of them had anymore interest in fighting.

Li Qingshan’s fundamental solution to this situation really was reliable, effective, and vicious.

Feng Zhang said, “I have spiritual pills that are even more effective than the spiritual ginseng. As long as you fight, you’ll still be able to achieve what you want. However, anyone who doesn’t fight will become an enemy of I, Feng Zhang. I will hunt down every single member of your family in retribution.”

The masters all changed in expression, while Li Qingshan sneered. “Do you really believe this person who threatens you with your family at every turn? Why don’t we work together and kill him instead and see if he really has any spiritual pills or not? We can split it between us. It’s not like he’s a Wolfhawk guard anymore, so we don’t have to worry about retribution at all.”

The masters all wavered. With a shwing, Feng Zhang drew his Wind-entwining blade. “Who dares to do that!?” He saw how his constant threats and unruly behaviour was working against him, so he added, “And the spiritual pills aren’t on me.”

If Li Qingshan were slightly stronger, perhaps there really was a chance for him to turn his enemies against one another. However, these masters could clearly distinguish who was easier to kill amongst the two of them, so they made their decision.

Watching them approach him, Li Qingshan thought to himself, After splattering the Qingyang restaurant with blood, is it time for sheltering from the snow and wind in the mountain god temple?¹

Perhaps the heavens could read his thoughts, as snowflakes began to drift down from the sky again.

He did not plan on running! Although the battle would be difficult, it was an opportunity for him to break through with the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging. With risk came reward. All abilities and martial arts rewarded people for the risk they took. There were only masters who had emerged from battle. There were no masters who emerged from fleeing.

“Blade Aura of the Death Sentence!” Feng Zhang raised his Wind-entwining blade and attacked with them.

Li Qingshan parted his legs and spread his arms. He let out a roar at the sky. It was not a human’s voice, but a tiger’s roar. “Rargh!”

The spiritual ginseng in his stomach came into effect. True qi flowed out like the tide, pouring into the roar. He used a move from the Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging he had never used properly.

The Tiger Demon’s Fierce Roar!

Within a range of a hundred meters, all of the snowflakes vanished. Looking down from the sky, a semicircle rose up from the ground.

Feng Zhang charged at the front. His Blade Aura of the Death Sentence immediately became disturbed, while the five masters stopped together. They all felt like a metal nail was being hammered into their heads.

They gazed at Li Qingshan in disbelief. His fierce aura stunned them. Was he really just a first-rate master?

The other second and third-rate masters suffered even more. They all clutched their ears as they rolled on the ground. Two streaks of blood flowed down their heads. Their eardrums had directly ruptured. Some of the weakest people there had even died from the roar.

With the tiger’s roar in the forest, all beasts retreated. Li Qingshan faced a hundred people alone, yet he gained the upper hand.

The roar reverberated through the surroundings, making the mountain god temple tremble gently. Not a single flake of snow could fall on it.

Feng Zhang endured the roar and bellowed out, “What are you all waiting for?” With a flick of the blade in his hand, he launched another wind blade.

Li Qingshan stopped roaring. He did not try to dodge or avoid the attack. Gathering his true qi, he channeled it to his hand, and his five fingers shone like the claws of a tiger, grabbing the wind blade viciously.

The wind blade shattered and kicked up a fierce gale. Li Qingshan glanced at his palm and saw the shallow, bloody mark left behind. He extended his tongue and licked it, smiling viciously before arching his back. He seemed just like a tiger in human form.

His killing intent roared as his demonic nature resonated.

The killing moves of the five masters arrived at the same time.

Wei Dandong’s sword, Lü Tingrui’s thin sword, Wan Hao’s steel blade, and hall chief Wu’s iron fists all shone with light. Even hall chief Wu was wearing a set of spiritual artifact gloves. They sealed off all of Li Qingshan’s paths of retreat, whether it be front, behind, left, or right.

The eighteen abacus beads that shot over like crossbow bolts completely severed Li Qingshan’s last sliver of hope. Chu Xin stopped smiling as well.

The five masters worked together, launching a killing blow. They did not even need Feng Zhang to take part.

Li Qingshan ignored the others. He took a step forward and reached towards Wei Dandong’s shoulder. A life for a life.

Before the claw had even arrived, a whistling sound pierced his ears. Wei Dandong valued his life so much, so why would he be willing to die here? He immediately withdrew his sword and retreated.

With his retreat, Li Qingshan advanced, utterly frightening Wei Dandong. He wielded his sword such that it formed a tight flurry before him. He only wanted to delay Li Qingshan so that the others could kill him.

A sword stabbed over. Xiao An, who had remained hidden the entire time, finally appeared. He saw how Li Qingshan was in danger, so he used his strongest move, enveloping three of them in the process.

Unpredictably, a blade blocked his move. Feng Zhang raised his Wind-entwining blade and stopped Xiao An.

The blood-red flames in Xiao An’s eye sockets roared. He watched helplessly as a blade and a sword landed on Li Qingshan’s body, causing blood to spray. Xiao An was tempted to tear Feng Zhang to shreds.

Wan Hao’s blade landed on Li Qingshan’s shoulder, while Lü Tingrui’s thin sword stabbed into Li Qingshan’s body. Although they leapt in fright at the sight of Xiao An, they were still first-rate masters after all. Their willpower was extremely great, so their movements were unaffected.

Li Qingshan had already utilised his true qi to protect himself. The two unstoppable spiritual artifacts actually failed to penetrate Li Qingshan all the way through, but even with his tough body, he immediately became injured. However, he ignored all of it, focusing on advancing. He clung onto Wei Dandong.

The eighteen abacus beads landed on him, but it only made Li Qingshan halt. He was completely unaffected. Chu Xin’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Hall chief Wu was the most careful. He attacked Li Qingshan from behind. When he saw how his back was completely unprotected, he was overjoyed. He threw a punch as hard as he could at Li Qingshan’s back.

Li Qingshan thought, Thank you. Out of everyone here, you’re the person I fear the least. He borrowed the force, and his arms extended forward, immediately grabbing Wei Dandong by the shoulders. With a powerful rip, he roared out, “The Tiger Demons Rips up the Lamb!”

Before Wei Dandong could even use his secret arts or his various underhanded methods, he had been ripped in half. Blood and organs scattered across the ground. There was truly no need to fear a powerful opponent, but one had to fear incompetent allies.

Under the pincer attack of the five masters, Li Qingshan forcefully killed one of them. He was truly as fierce as he could be, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

Li Qingshan grabbed the two halves of the corpse and threw them at Wan Hao and Lü Tingrui. The two of them were afraid of Li Qingshan’s desperate counterattack injuring them and leading them to follow in Wei Dandong’s footsteps, so they immediately retreated.

Martial arts only made up a part of a clash between masters. Might was more important.

His opponent’s might weakened, while Li Qingshan’s might grew like a river breaching a dam. He was unstoppable. He completely ignored the people around him, rushing forward like a crazy tiger and killing the second and third-rate masters.

A swing of a fist, a stab of his claws, and a butt of his head. Before him, no one could stand a chance. Every time he struck out, there would be deaths and injuries until corpses lay strewn on the ground.

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1. Another reference to Water Margin, the same as chapter 4. He’s paralleling the Qingyang restaurant to the Duck and Drake Bower, while sheltering from the snow and wind in the mountain god temple is… well, sheltering from the snow and wind in the mountain god temple.

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Chapter 84 – Sheltering from the Snow and Wind in a Mountain God Temple (Three)

The first-rate masters were utterly furious. They had raised all of these disciples through great difficulty. Many of them were their descendants, so they charged over without anymore care.

Just as Li Qingshan was slaughtering to his heart’s content, Wan Hao swung his blade over again. Without even looking back, Li Qingshan grabbed a third-rate master in front of him and blocked his back.

Spurt! Wan Hao did not even bat an eye, cleaving the person in front of him in half and continuing his swing at Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan took advantage of the delayed attack and used the Tiger Demon Leaps over the Ravine to lunge towards another second-rate master. However, he did not avoid the attack unscathed, having received a faint mark on his back. He thought, This old man is so vicious.

“One-armed Blade, why do you kill my people?!” However, Lü Tingrui refused to accept it. Ignoring Li Qingshan, she stabbed at Wan Hao. He had killed a beloved disciple of hers. He was extremely handsome, and she had always liked him.

Wan Hao blocked the thin sword. “He was caught. It’s not like he’d survive. I only gave him a quick death. You sure are noisy, woman.”

“You’re turning against each other at a time like this. Do you all want to die here?” Feng Zhang roared out. His blade shone brightly as he forced back Xiao An. “What kind of monster are you?” His right arm trembled. Not only was Xiao An’s sword style masterful, but his strokes were heavy as well, making them extremely difficult to deal with.

“Xiao An, kill him!” Li Qingshan said. He did not slow down at all, reaching towards the chest of a second-rate master with a whistling claw. His hands were soaked in blood, so a horrifying aura sprang forth. It frightened the second rate-master, mentally reducing him to just half of the strength he possessed.

A few abacus beads shot over. Chu Xin struck out once more, but he no longer targeted Li Qingshan’s acupoints. Instead, he went for his eyes and crotch, vital parts of the body.

Hall chief Wu landed another punch on Li Qingshan’s back. His punch earlier failed to do anything, so his reaction was the same as Liu Hong’s. He was filled with disbelief, so he came up to try again immediately.

Li Qingshan suddenly halted, making the abacus beads miss. He forcefully turned around like a vicious tiger looking back. He threw a punch. “Have you had enough?!”

The fists collided. Hall chief Wu’s arm produced a gentle crack, and he flew over three meters away. Before he could even get back on his feet, a streak of light descended from above, dazzling his eyes.

As it turned out, Xiao An had immediately understood what Li Qingshan was saying. He leapt up to over thirty meters in the air and combined with the sword, plunging down on hall chief Wu.

Hall chief Wu was shocked. He demonstrated the reaction of a first-rate master and swung his fists in a flurry, unleashing the move ‘Army’s Barrage’. Every single punch landed on the blade of the sword with precision.

There were a series of clangs. Fortunately for him, his gloves were also spiritual artifacts, so the sword did not shred his arms.

Xiao An borrowed the force to fly up once more, and a wind blade flew past beneath him. Feng Zhang caught up once more with the Wind-entwining blade. Xiao An no longer entangled with him, shooting into the crowd using his agile figure and unleashing a massacre on the second and third-rate masters.

Having escaped death, hall chief Wu collapsed on the ground and breathed heavily. His arms ached painfully, especially his right arm that had clashed with Li Qingshan’s punch. It felt like mud. All of his bones had shattered. His right arm was done for.

Li Qingshan wanted to rush up to him and give him a stomp, but there was nothing he could do about the fact that Feng Zhang had rushed over again. Wan Hao and Lü Tingrui had temporarily set aside their differences and pincered him from both sides.

Within those few seconds, hall chief Wu produced a glowing pill from his bosom and ate it. He actually stood up again. Not only had his arms healed, but even his inner force had replenished completely.

Pills? I have them too!

Li Qingshan crushed the porcelain bottle in his bosom and tossed the Body Eruption pill he had taken from Void Butcherer into his mouth. He no longer cared about its side effects. He had to survive this encounter first!

Thump! Thump thump! Thump thump thump!

His heartbeat suddenly sped up, firing off at high speeds like a motor. Li Qingshan’s thin body immediately swelled up as he became a huge man. His true qi erupted at tenfold, bursting out of his body.

The true qi blocked both the blade and thin sword as if they had sunk into mud. Wan Hao and Lü Tingrui were startled. This was clearly innate true qi. He was not a first-rate master, but an innate master.

“Blade Aura of the Death Sentence!”

“Break!” Li Qingshan threw a punch. The iron fist condensed from true qi landed on the blade aura.

Li Qingshan possessed tremendous strength in the first place, so after ingesting the Body Eruption pill, his strength was unstoppable. He shattered the blade aura with a single punch, throwing Feng Zhang high into the air. While in the air, he cried out, “If you still don’t use your trump cards, we’re all going to die here today!”

Wan Hao, Lü Tingrui, hall chief Wu, and Chu Xin, the four first-rate masters, all looked at one another. They all possessed trump cards to protect their lives, but their value was no less than a quarter of the spiritual ginseng. None of them were willing to use it unless that were in the face of death with no other choice. However, when they witnessed Li Qingshan’s terrifying figure, they could no longer afford to treasure their trump cards.

“So be it, so be it, so be it. I’ll make a deal at a loss today then!” Chu Xin sighed. He took out a talisman, and the three others actually did the exact same thing as him.

Li Qingshan’s eyes suddenly narrowed. He could not allow them to use their trump cards so easily. Just as he raised his foot, he felt a terrifying gust from behind. Suddenly, he looked back and saw that a second-rate master who he had almost finished off in a single strike had pulled out a talisman at a certain time as well, sticking it on his blade. The blade immediately gained a sharp glow like an aura before the second-rate master swung it towards him.

Li Qingshan could sense that even with his tough body, he would be cut in half if the blade landed.

Li Qingshan had underestimated this second-rate master just too much, as the man did not possess a spiritual artifact. Normal weapons would never be able to penetrate his Ox Demon Forges its Hide, but he never thought this person could do something like that.

He wanted to dodge, but it was already too late. The second-rate master could already see his attack succeed; he would soon avenge his fellow seniors and juniors. Delight flooded his face, but a flash suddenly swept past his neck, and his head was thrown high into the air by the gushing blood.

The corpse collapsed forward with its momentum, revealing Xiao An behind. Blood had already dyed his white bones red, while behind him, several dozen second and third-rate masters were littered across the ground, dead. With a sword in hand, his efficiency at killing people exceeded even Li Qingshan’s.

“Thanks!” Li Qingshan smiled and conveniently picked up the large blade that had been strengthened with a talisman. They stood back to back, facing all of the enemies around them.

The sky was pitch-black like ink, and the night of slaughter continued.

Using this interval, the four first rate masters all bit through the tip of their tongues and activated their talismans.

“Swift Breeze Talisman!” Lü Tingrui stuck the talisman on her legs, and a ball of air wrapped around them. Her movement technique had always been very impressive, completely surpassing Yang Anzhi of the Dragon’s Gate sect. After using the talisman, she seemed even more like a ghost. She immediately drifted to Li Qingshan’s side. “It’ll be your honour to die to so many precious talismans. It’ll be your monster’s honour too!”

She stabbed over. As soon as Xiao An tried to block it, she drifted to the other side.

Chu Xin stuck his talisman on his arms, and a layer of light enveloped his hands. He tossed the abacus aside, lifting up his expensive robes. Inside were various kinds of hidden weapons, including countless needles, caltrops, and sharpened throwing coins. With a swing of his arms, they turned into a flurry. Numerous hidden weapons shot through the air like a metal storm.

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Chapter 85 – The Cursive Sword Calligraphy

“Metal Talisman of Sharpness!” Wan Hao stuck his talisman on his blade and condensed a blade aura three feet in length. It would no longer be possible for Li Qingshan to survive a swing of his blade now.

Meanwhile, hall chief Wu directly stuck his talisman on his chest. A golden figure rose up from his body; it was just like what happened with the master of the Black Wind stronghold, Xiong Xiangwu. It was also a Talisman of the Guardian Kings. However, the colour was much deeper. He rushed up and launched a heavy punch.

Feng Zhang just stopped. He sheathed his Wind-entwining blade and watched Li Qingshan like he was looking at a dead man. Let alone Li Qingshan, even if he ended up in an encirclement like that, only death would await him.

Even if there was just one of them, Li Qingshan would struggle very much. He stomped the ground heavily, causing it to sink and form a great pit. The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves sent shockwaves into the surroundings, and the four first-rate masters all paused.

However, he would never be bold enough to use this opportunity to launch an attack. Instead, he used his full strength and leapt into the sky at the same time with Xiao An.

Everyone raised their heads with differing expressions. If Li Qingshan had elected to forcefully confront them, he might have had a chance at surviving, but now that he had leapt into the sky, he had ended his own path. In the air, there was nothing he could push off of, so it was impossible to dodge. Once he fell down, he would die.

Li Qingshan reached the highest point. Just when he was about to fall back down again, he suddenly unleashed the Cursive Sword Calligraphy. A descending diagonal stroke, an ascending diagonal stroke, a horizontal stroke, a vertical stroke, and a hook lit up. Li Qingshan had already grabbed the Cursive Sword Calligraphy secretly before the three people had surrounded him, channelling all of his true qi into it.

Ever since he obtained the Cursive Sword Calligraphy, his true qi had been constantly strengthening. Not only had he ingested the Bodhi Brew today, but he had also ingested the entire spiritual ginseng as well. He had even eaten a Body Eruption pill earlier. The true qi in his body had reached unprecedented heights, so he pushed the power of the spiritual artifact to unprecedented levels as well.

The moment he unfurled the Cursive Sword Calligraphy, Feng Zhang’s eyes lit up. “A mid grad spiritual artifact! No, it’s a high grade spiritual artifact! Run!” However, he felt no surprise. Instead, he was overjoyed. If he could obtain a high grade spiritual artifact, it would be worth it even if he had been expelled from the Hawkwolf Guard.

Li Qingshan gathered all of his concentration in an attempt to control this high grade spiritual artifact. Perhaps his will really came into effect, or perhaps it was just because of the spiritual artifact itself; it automatically locked onto the hostile intents.

A descending diagonal stroke, an ascending diagonal stroke, a horizontal stroke, a vertical stroke, and a hook flew towards the five people.

Even without Feng Zhang’s warning, these alert first-rate masters of the jianghu sensed an extremely terrifying killing intent the moment Li Qingshan unfurled the Cursive Sword Calligraphy. They responded instinctively.

Wan Hao raised his blade at the sky, defending by launching an attack. He precisely sealed off the direction that the killing intent originated from. However, before absolute strength, all of his moves were useless. The vertical stroke fell straight down, shattering the blade aura along with the blade itself, immediately piercing through his head. He blanked out and collapsed on the ground.

Hall chief Wu crossed his arms and used the Iron Chains Across the River. Combined with the Talisman of the Guardian Kings, he formed the strongest defence, but the hook still claimed his head by surprise.

Two first-rate masters who had used their trump cards were killed off instantly, demonstrating the terror of the high quality spiritual artifact.

Lü Tingrui used her impressive movement technique and fled into the distance as quickly as possible. Chu Xin had always been standing the furthest away, and his reaction was the fastest as well. He immediately rolled to one side with his circular body.

The ascending diagonal stroke and horizontal stroke swept past, and there were two flashes of red light. The two of them collapsed on the ground, losing a leg and an arm. They were heavily injured.

However, the strongest and brightest descending diagonal stroke flew towards Feng Zhang.

Feng Zhang sank into a horse stance and used two talismans consecutively, sticking them on his blade and his body.

The Wind-entwining blade erupted with a blade aura five feet in length while a golden bell condensed around his body. If the Talisman of the Guardian Kings could be used to kill, then the Golden Bell Talisman existed to protect.

As a second layer Qi Practitioner and a past Hawkwolf guard, the resources he possessed were much more than the trump cards of all these first-rate masters added together. However, he purposefully saved them, sending these first-rate masters to risk their lives. It would be best if they all died, as he would not have to give them the pills he promised. He truly was a cruel person.

However, when he saw the high grade spiritual artifact Li Qingshan possessed, he immediately felt that everything was worth using.

At that moment, light erupted and dazzled everyone. Even the thick layer of snow accumulated in front of the mountain god temple was swept away.

The blade shattered, the bell broke, but he survived.

The situation that Li Qingshan worried about the most happened. Only the hilt remained from the Wind-entwining blade in Feng Zhang’s hand, and his clothes had been reduced to tatters, covered in tiny slashes. However, he smiled very complacently, looking at Li Qingshan in the air.

Li Qingshan’s heart sank completely. The whistling of wind rang out from behind.

Chu Xin’s eyes were red with rage as he used his remaining hand to unleash a metal storm.

Li Qingshan pushed Xiao An aside as he waved his blade with difficulty in an attempt to block the attack. However, his body had been drained of true qi, and the side effects of the Body Eruption pill had arrived at the same time, causing him agony all over.

Xiao An extended his hand helplessly, watching as he was blown away by the storm of metal. In that instant, who knows how many hidden weapons had struck him. He fell through the roof of the temple, landing in the bonfire.

The head of the mountain god statue rolled to one side. The charred head smiled fiercely, as if it were mocking Li Qingshan for overestimating his strength.

Xiao An landed on the ground and directly charged towards the mountain god temple. A slender sword stabbed over diagonally. Lü Tingrui stood on a single leg as she said in resentment, “I’ll kill this monster!”

Feng Zhang did not pursue Li Qingshan. He pulled out another talisman and shot it into the temple.

A great ball of fire erupted in the temple. The mountain god temple that was close to collapsing in the first place immediately fell apart. Firelight rose into the sky, so bright that it was visible even from five kilometers away.

Feng Zhang felt that Li Qingshan was hiding far too many secrets. He was afraid that he possessed more killing moves, so he was reluctant to take any further risk. He directly used a talisman to finish him off. It was not like high grade spiritual artifacts could be destroyed in a fire like this. When the time came, he could just go fetch it from Li Qingshan’s ashes.

The fire roared. The flames in Xiao An’s eye sockets blazed bright like blood. He charged at Lü Tingrui wildly, ready to throw his life away.

Lü Tingrui dodged to one side, but all she saw was Xiao An going straight for the mountain god temple, wanting to fish Li Qingshan out from the sea of fire. She could not help but mutter, “Monster!”

Chu Xin attacked again. The hidden weapons barraged Xiao An’s body with a series of clings and clangs, causing him to stagger and fall onto the ground. However, he immediately climbed back up again.

Feng Zhang sneered and swung his hand. True qi surged as he sent Xiao An flying. Standing in front of the fire, he was like a mountain, separating Xiao An from Li Qingshan.

He growled and said, “You two idiots, why don’t you kill it? Don’t let it escape.” However, he was considering silencing them with death. He could not allow anyone else to learn about the high grade spiritual artifact.

Chu Xin and Lü Tingrui instead hesitated when they heard Feng Zhang’s words. They were unsure if they should fight or flee. Originally, they had accepted Feng Zhang’s deal because they were confident that Feng Zhang would uphold his side of the deal if they worked together. It was not like he was a part of the Hawkwolf Guard anymore. Even if Feng Zhang was not afraid of them, was every member of his family supposed to be an innate master as well?

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Chapter 86 – A Daemon’s Awakening

But now, the dead were dead, and the crippled were crippled. They could no longer oppose Feng Zhang. At the same time, they were afraid that Feng Zhang would turn against them mercilessly.

Xiao An did not flee. He knelt on the ground. Currently, all of his bones were riddled with cracks. Looking at the sea of fire, two streaks of bloody tears ran down from his eye sockets. He opened his mouth, but not a single sound was emitted. However, everyone could sense that he was sobbing.

Feng Zhang turned around as a sunken smile stretched from ear to ear. “At the end of the day, it looks like I still need to do it personally!”

His smile suddenly froze. A terrifying feeling appeared from behind him, as if a terrifying beast was awakening in the fire.

A wild roar pierced the sky.

It was not a sound a human could make. Feng Zhang turned around and saw a black figure rise up from the fire, shaking off the flames. It was ten feet tall with a pair of horns that stabbed towards the sky.

Two specks of red light suddenly lit up!

Li Qingshan laid in the fire without moving at all. Before the danger of death, things went as he anticipated. His Tiger Demon’s Fist of Bone Forging had finally broken through to the first layer!

There was not a surge of strength like he had imagined. He felt his body undergo an extremely strange transformation. Everything ripped apart, transformed and remoulded. The flames gradually stopped being as scorching and discomforting as before, but he was still afraid of opening his eyes.

The words of the black ox rang through his ears once more. Only when you reach the first layer with both fist styles will you truly be regarded as having learnt this ability.

Although his eyes were firmly shut, he seemed to be able to feel the small skeleton rush over through the flames. He seemed to be able to hear his sobs.

Xiao An!

An indescribable feeling rose up in his heart, turning into a roar at the sky.

Li Qingshan stood up in the fire and snapped open his eyes. The shining red light was no longer hidden in the depths of his eyes. Instead, it was completely exposed now. He took a step forward, and an iron hoof crushed the mountain god’s head.

Under the invisible pressure, the flames bloomed in the surroundings like a lotus flower. He emerged from the sea of fire, step by step.

All those still alive on the mountain peak held their breaths as their eyes widened.

The colossal figure was as tough as a steel tower. The pitch-black skin seemed to be forged from black iron, and mysterious patterns extended from the top of his head to his four limbs. His feet had turned into iron hooves, while his hands had become sharp claws.

The pair of ox horns were so sharp that they seemed to pierce the sky. The fiery-red hair, or perhaps fur would be more accurate, hung from his body in a messy manner, dancing about under the firelight.

Daemon qi surged into the air. The legend began here.

Feng Zhang reached into his bosom. A violent gust of wind swept past him. The scarlet hair had even brushed past his face, making him seize up as his teeth chattered and his body trembled.

He no longer possessed the intention of resisting. Only a single thought remained, Run! A daemon, even a low grade daemon beast, was not something a second layer Qi Practitioner like him could fend off. Apart from the standard issue Wind-entwining blade that came from the Hawkwolf Guard, he did not possess another proper spiritual artifact to support him in a battle against a daemon.

Li Qingshan’s target was not Feng Zhang. When Lü Tingrui saw Li Qingshan emerge from the fire, she turned around and fled without the slightest hint of hesitation. The effects of the talisman remained, so she actually moved extremely quickly.

As she was mid-air, a huge claw reached over from behind and grabbed her head. Li Qingshan said, “Tell me, who’s the monster!” His voice was deep and hoarse like the thrum of metal. It was filled with cold killing intent.

His sharp, protruding teeth were pale-white as the red light in his eyes shone!

Lü Tingrui opened her mouth, but she discovered that the only sounds she could let out were mindless gibberish. She had been a first rate-master who had roamed the jianghu for quite some time now, but she had never seen a real daemon before. She felt like a mouse in a cat’s paw, having come across her natural nemesis. Under the weight of endless fear, what she felt was even more terrifying than death.

Cling clang! Countless hidden weapons landed on Li Qingshan, creating a series of sparks. Li Qingshan turned around and said, “Piss off!”

The sound wave that had been infused with daemon qi was like the strike of a heavy hammer. Chu Xin was launched over twenty meters away. His head tilted to one side, and he could not be more dead than that.

A second-rate master who laid on the ground suddenly leapt up high into the air. He stuck a talisman on his sword, coating it in a layer of sword aura. Originally, he had been playing dead, but now, he wanted to use this opportunity to launch a sneak attack against Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan was just about to turn around, but a tiger’s tail swept through the air like a steel whip, basically cleaving the second-rate master in half by the waist. Li Qingshan looked back at his own tail in surprise. Suddenly, he discovered that he had gained additional functions. His reactions were still faster than his head.

Li Qingshan closed his hand easily, and the head was crushed like a watermelon. In the next moment, he vanished from his current location.

He appeared beside the remaining second and third-rate disciples one by one and unleashed a massacre. In just a few seconds, not a single person was left alive on the mountain peak. The only one left was Feng Zhang, who was furiously fleeing down the mountain.

Li Qingshan bent his knees slightly. The ground cracked wildly, and he had already rushed into the air.

Feng Zhang was currently fleeing for his life as a black figure descended from the sky, landing on him with the weight of several tonnes.

Feng Zhang’s cultivation was impressive, but before Li Qingshan’s absolute strength and speed, he actually did not have the ability to fight back at all. Blood spurted from his mouth as he cried, “Daemon, you’re a daemon!” He gripped the ground with his hands, but there was no way he could oppose Li Qingshan’s current strength. Even if Li Qingshan lifted his foot, his organs and bones had all been crushed already. He only remained alive because of his innate true qi.

Li Qingshan bent down and growled. “I want to rip your limbs from your body, one by one.” The red light in his eyes was like blood. Possessing the hatred and fury of humans, he was much crueler and more brutal than regular daemons.

Xiao An tugged Li Qingshan’s hand. He casually tried to slap him aside in a violent matter. “Piss off!”

Seeing Xiao An, a sliver of rationality flashed through his mind, and Li Qingshan suddenly stopped his hand. The gust of wind he had kicked up had almost blown away Xiao An. He looked at Li Qingshan with surprise and fear as well as uncertainty.

“Xiao An, I’m sorry. I-” Li Qingshan covered his face as the red light subsided between his fingers.

Xiao Man approached him again, grabbing Li Qingshan’s hand, or perhaps claw would be more accurate.

Li Qingshan held back his various savage thoughts and crushed Feng Zhang to death with a stomp, giving him a quick death. He looked at his two hands that had become the claws of beasts as various wild thoughts rampaged through his head. He knelt on the ground and let out a wail at the sky.

The sky was pitch-black. The layered, dark clouds obscured the stars and the moon.

However, above the dark clouds were a sea of drifting clouds, stretching as far as the eye could see. Under the illumination of the moon and stars, it was tranquil like a paradise.

A white figure stood alone above the sea of clouds. Her clothes buffeted in the wind; she was just like an otherworldly immortal. Gu Yanying lowered her eyes as her dark pupils suddenly narrowed. They shone with golden light, piercing the clouds like the eyes of a hawk and landing on Li Qingshan.

Her feeling was right. When she met Li Qingshan below the pine tree, the smell he gave off was not because he did not shower. Instead, it was legitimate daemon qi. However, it was just too weak, so she was uncertain, which was why she made Li Qingshan drink the cup of Bodhi Brew. As a result, his true qi lost control immediately and amplified everything. Only then did she confirm her suspicions.

Not only did it make the daemon qi more obvious, but he did not break through to the second layer as a Qi Practitioner either, as the constitutions of daemons were different from humans. There was no such thing as second layer Qi Practitioners to daemons.

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Some Explanations for the Recent Plot (From the Author)

First, there have been many people who have complained about falling in love at first sight. In reality, I myself had considered that part for a very long time as well. I wrote it, deleted it before adding it back.

Because I know there will be some readers who dislike it. I can understand their feelings very well. Compared to loving someone, being loved is still easier and makes people happier. Out of the novels I’ve read, just how long has it been since a main character has taken the initiative to love someone? The fixed trope is that the main character won’t love anyone. They’ll demonstrate their charms and attract all the beauties to them, and then there’ll be arcs of romance.

Let’s not talk about whether this pattern is reasonable or not. After all, just by existing, it’s reasonable. However, after hesitating for a long time, I still ended up adding this part, breaking out of this trope, because what I want to write is a person of exceptional ability, a great sage, someone who possesses great ambitions, or should I say wild ambitions, that exceed ordinary people. Just like how Xiang Yu saw the emperor of Qin on tour and looked him straight in the eye and said, “I can replace you.”¹

Regarding what many people have mentioned, that Gu Yanying’s description was insufficient, I think this is the most direct description there is. If you see her and you don’t fall in love with her at first sight, you can’t call her a beauty of startling talent and ability. And if you do see a beauty of startling talent and ability, but you don’t have the wild ambition of conquering someone like that, you wouldn’t be a great person of exceptional ability and ambition.

All I want to write is some relatively ‘normal’ feelings, as there are many novels, perhaps due to the influence of real life, where liking a woman seems to be groveling to them, falling head over heels for the woman and willing to do anything for them. However, with Li Qingshan’s resoluteness, how would that be possible? When he faced Gu Yanying, who was countless times stronger and more noble than he was, Li Qingshan only wanted to take her as a wife on equal footing. Instead, you’ve all placed yourselves on a pedestal that’s far too low right from the start.

Next is the battle of the mountain god temple.

I feel like I’ve already written it clear enough. Li Qingshan still hasn’t joined the Wolfhawk Guard yet. Wang Pushi only gave him a promise. He clearly dislikes Li Qingshan very much, which was why Hua Chengzan told Li Qingshan to run. That’s because they could all foresee this battle happening. Even Gu Yanying could foresee this. She wanted to probe out Li Qingshan’s true form. There’s also another detail that many people might have missed. Wang Pushi told Li Qingshan to report to Zhuo Zhibo in Jiaping city, yet it was exactly Zhou Zhibo who had sent Feng Zhang here.

Li Qingshan originally wanted to lure Feng Zhang into battle alone, but Feng Zhang’s craftiness had basically taken him by surprise, using the spiritual ginseng and the pills to entice a few fire-rate masters into his plan. In the face of such a critical situation, Li Qingshan could try to flee, but he would very likely fail and it would weaken his bearing, the awe he struck into the hearts of people, making him lose half the battle already. As for fighting, he was not exactly without confidence, and there was a chance for him to break through. As a result, he went with the wisest choice.

The last issue has to do with the levelling system.

I’ve said before that this is only a tool, but not a tool that’s absolutely necessary. I have considered making my own system before, which wouldn’t be too difficult. All I have to do is come up with a few names. However, I’ll definitely have to make many complicated introductions when I do so. I’ve hesitated over this for a long time. This system that platinum author Wangyu² created was just perfect. It was concise, and it got to the point. There is no point, or should I say, no need to give up on the tools readily in my grasp and go create a set of tools that don’t suit me.

However, I’m not copying outright. I’ve adapted and added a lot of things myself, making it more suitable for this novel. These aspects will all be presented one after another later on. If there are readers who dislike the names, I can only request you to set aside your prejudice. I don’t plan on turning this into a mortal stream fantasy novel.³ This will be a completely new story.

You can count this novel as my work where I seek novelty and change. Many problems will arise with that, so I welcome you all to point it out. However, I do hope you can accept and understand as well. At the very least, I’m writing this novel with great sincerity. So far, the change has been successful. Compared to my previous novel where it became more strenuous the more I wrote, I have absolute confidence and motivation right now because the fascinating parts have yet to come. A magnificent world, a touching story and charming characters are waiting for me to write them.

There are many parts where it’s my fault for not explaining clearly. However, I want to make my writing as succinct as I can, with less explaining for me to do. It’ll mostly be expressed through the details or the actions of the characters. The way Li Qingshan treats Gu Yanying in the future will obviously show he’s not someone who loses his mind at the sight of a beautiful woman. And as the world expands, it’ll obviously demonstrate whether I’ve been copying or not. But what can you do about the fact that this is webnovel? I can only take one step at a time. I’ve decided to avoid explaining so much in the future. Those who will understand will obviously understand.

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1. Emperor of Qin refers to the first emperor of China, who united the lands of China for the first time in history. Xiang Yu refers to this historical figure.

2. Yes, Wangyu, as in the author for Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality. The author is deriving his cultivation system from RMJI.

3. Mortal stream fantasy novels are like Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality, Demon’s Diary, and Portal of Wonderland. Mortal stream fantasy is characterised for their realism regarding cultivation, given that the main character starts off as a mortal, without any particular knowledge regarding cultivation. It vividly paints a picture of the struggles that the main character goes through for cultivation. Wangyu is the progenitor of this genre, and he solely writes in this genre, but many other authors write it as well now, thus making a stream in Chinese fantasy novels.

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Chapter 87 – Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration

Against daemons and demons, the first thing that regular cultivators would think of would be purging them. Gu Yanying definitely possessed the strength to do that as well. Although Li Qingshan’s strength and speed had been greatly amplified after daemonifying, he was still not the opponent of a Golden Core master.

But right now, she showed no killing intent at all. She even lost her usual, carefree smile, now possessing a tinge of sorrow. Under the illumination of the moon, she seemed like a jade sculpture.

Then she discarded these emotions, sighed gently, and smiled freely.

“Little bro Qingshan, from today onwards, only the mountains and forests will be your home. We probably won’t meet ever again unless you cultivate to Daemon General or even Daemon Commander. However, once that happens, we’ll probably be enemies. Take care!”

She muttered to herself and even clasped her hands, completely ignoring the fact that Li Qingshan could not hear or see her at all. Lifting her arms, her sleeves fluttered as she flew off like a white hawk. Only when she reached over five kilometers away did the gust of wind she create form a canal in the sea of clouds.

The white hawk landed on the edge of the well and saw what she wanted to see. A special frog added an amusing story to her life.

However, no matter how amusing it was, a frog was still a frog. At most, it would just become slightly more powerful. There were matters that outweighed this completely waiting for her to complete. If she could not find that damned cat, a battle between the two great sects of the Green province, the Sword Collection palace and the Umbral Yin sect, would likely erupt. A great fire would burn through the back courtyard of the provincial lord as well.

However, what she failed to sense was that as she observed Li Qingshan, a black ox gazed at her through the darkness on the ground. This was something utterly inconceivable to a Golden Core master. Her spiritual senses were so sharp, and she knew some techniques for divination as well.

However, if she really could predict the future, she would know that the frog would not remain a frog forever.

Li Qingshan wailed wildly for quite a while before barely managing to calm himself down. Xiao An remained by his side, doing his best to comfort him. He glanced at Xiao An.

Only now did he truly understand what Xiao An felt when he became a skeleton and just how great of a mental blow it was to turn into something else as a human.

The black ox emerged from the darkness as a smile stretched across his face. He looked at Li Qingshan and studied him in wonder, like an artist appreciating a masterpiece he was extremely satisfied with.

Li Qingshan said, “Did you know I would become like this already? This isn’t some ability of oxen and tigers at all!” His current strength had definitely exceeded what a single ox could possess. Perhaps, the strength of an ox never referred to the strength of a single ox, but an ox demon, an ox daemon.

The black ox said, “It looks like the effects aren’t bad at all!”

Li Qingshan suddenly lunged at the black ox, swinging his right claw viciously. His sharp claws were like curved blades, shining in the darkness.

The black ox did not try to dodge at all. It continued to smile. Xiao An tackled from the side and knocked Li Qingshan away.

Li Qingshan trembled all over as his claws dug into the ground. “Sorry, brother ox. I don’t know what has happened to me.” He felt like his heart was packed full of explosives, where even a hint of anger or dissatisfaction would set it alight, making him want to kill.

Although he had his suspicions that the black ox had screwed him over, he had been mentally prepared for this a long time ago. It was just like the legend with those people who made deals with the devil. They would gain power at a cost. It was brutal, but it was fair. There was no reason for any complaints.

And, the black ox had demonstrated that the ability it had taught to him really was not some common thing he could find anywhere. Just with its effects of refining the body, the ability had managed to reach an inconceivable level, using just a few months to push his body to unbelievable toughness.

The black ox said, “Your mind is not strong enough to overpower your demonic nature, but you’ve already surprised me a lot by being able to do this. You’re right. Although this originates from a body refining superhuman ability of daoism, the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers, this is not actually that.”

“There is no superhuman ability that can turn a human into a daemon! What am I supposed to do now? How do I recover my human form?” Li Qingshan did not want to spend the rest of his life in these remote forests and mountains.

“It’s very simple. All you have to do is undergo the first heavenly tribulation and become a Daemon General, which is Foundation Establishment for humans, and you’ll be able to take a human form.”

“How long will that take?”

“If you’re fast, a century!”

“What!” Li Qingshan’s eyes glowed red. “I can live for a century?”

“Don’t worry. Once you’ve transformed into a daemon, your lifespan will be greatly extended!”

Li Qingshan ground his teeth. He was just about to give into the killing intent surging in his heart.

The black ox said, “However, it’s not like there aren’t other ways!”

Li Qingshan said, “There are other ways?”

The black ox said, “I’ll teach you another ability. Oh right, you’re not actually completely a daemon right now.”

Li Qingshan said, “So I’ll become a complete daemon once I practise this ability?”

The black ox only smiled. Li Qingshan knew the only option he had was going down this path completely.

The great fire continued to burn. Li Qingshan made eye contact with Xiao An and said, “Alright, now neither of us are humans, and only you won’t loathe me!” They really were brought together by their ill fates. Neither of them could mock the other.

Xiao An nodded furiously, expressing that he did not loathe Li Qingshan at all.

Li Qingshan said, “Let’s stop here. Let’s get practising!” He made Xiao An use the corpses on the mountain for cultivation and recovering his wounds. At the same time, Li Qingshan searched through the corpses.

He found a bottle of pills that had not been completely consumed on hall chief Wu. He tilted his head back and ingested them all, immediately recovering from his injuries. He found a talisman on Wei Dandong, the sickly scholar’s body. It looked exactly the same as Lü Tingrui’s, so it should also be a Swift Breeze Talisman that increased speed. He found another talisman on Chu Xin, similar to the one he had used. As it seemed, he really was wealthy.

Lü Tingrui’s slender sword was still in one piece, and it shone very brightly. On the other hand, Xiao An’s sword had become extremely dim after the battle. It could not be used anymore, so this was a perfect replacement.

In the end, he found a total of four talismans on Feng Zhang. They were all the kind that could unleash fire. There was also a bottle healing pills, and from their glow, they seemed much better than hall chief Wu’s, so he stowed it away carefully.

Li Qingshan tossed all of the corpses into the sea of fire. Seeing how the fire did not burn vigorously enough, he tossed out a fire talisman without any hesitation at all. The fire talisman floated through the air and landed on the ground. It had not been activated.

The black ox said, “Daemon qi cannot activate talismans and spiritual artifacts unless you refine them.”

Then Li Qingshan tried it with the Cursive Sword Calligraphy. As expected, there was no reaction at all when he injected it with daemon qi. It refused to accept it. Without a doubt, he did not possess the ability to refine it right now, so he could only put it aside for now.

Xiao An had recovered from all of his wounds as well. His bones became white again, but they were no longer pale-white. Instead, they glistened slightly like jade. He had progressed with his ability yet again.

Watching the flames weaken, Xiao An suddenly opened his mouth and sprayed out rolling, blood-red flames. The blood of the corpses were like oil that had been set alight, surging with blood-red flames that were several meters tall. It even drowned out the orangey-yellow fire, completely destroying all traces of the corpses.

It was a technique from the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, the Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration. It could set flesh and blood on fire. Once contaminated with it, certain death would ensue; one would be reduced to a corpse before being burnt to ashes. This was why it was called ‘corpse incineration’. It was far more terrifying than regular fire talismans.

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Chapter 88 – The Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression

Li Qingshan could not help but sigh in amazement. Now, regular first-rate masters would never be his opponent. He truly was progressing rapidly with no bottlenecks. As long as he had sufficient time and sacrifices, who knows just how powerful he could become.

The blood flames incinerated all of the corpses, circled through the air, and returned to Xiao An’s mouth. The flames in his eye sockets became even brighter. It was as if the blood flames had absorbed all the blood and vitality of these people.

After dealing with everything, Li Qingshan called Xiao An, and he leapt onto his shoulder. The two of them disappeared into the mountains.

Li Qingshan rushed through the forest. The tall trees now seemed so short and small. Sometimes when he came across fallen logs blocking his way, he would not even try to go around it. He would directly smash through it, reducing the dead wood to splinters and forcefully carving out a path through the forest.

His strength and speed were not the only things that had changed. His five senses had never been so sharp before either. Everything in the forest was so clear and vibrant. Even though it was the middle of winter, it was still a touching colour.

All sounds became so clear. He could even hear the breathing of a wild rabbit deep below the snow and soil. The world was filled with life.

He felt like a caveman who had returned to ancient times, celebrating all of nature. It was like the sweetness of nectar had filled his heart. It seemed like this was the world, the wonderland, that belonged to him,

When his body changed, his mind seemed to change as well. He suddenly felt like being trapped and embraced by the forests and mountains was not necessarily a bad thing.

However, when he looked at Xiao An on his shoulder, he immediately recovered his mental clarity. He still had many promises to complete. Li Qingshan had to help Xiao An regain his human form and send him home.

Xiao An also looked back at Li Qingshan in confusion.

Li Qingshan smiled, thanking him inside.

After the black ox taught Li Qingshan a new ability, he vanished once more.

Li Qingshan travelled without stopping, but he silently comprehended the mysteries of the ability inside.

The name of the second ability was the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression, but it was exactly the opposite to the Strength of Nine Oxen and Two Tigers. It was an ability that purely focused on practising qi. It also had nine layers, and as long as he achieved the first layer, he would be able to return to human form and hide his daemon qi, allowing him to return to the human world.

This ability just happened to demand Li Qingshan to possess a certain foundation of daemon qi before he could practise it. It gave him a feeling that the abilities the black ox taught him were layered atop one another and interlinked. Every step had already been calculated, laying down a foundation for the future.

He did not know what the black ox’s objective was, but it did not seem like he had any ill motives. This did not originate from only his trust in it, but also because he understood his own insignificance. There was probably nothing worth the black ox developing any ill motives over.

As soon as Li Qingshan comprehended something regarding the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression, he would stop and meditate. The chaotic daemon qi gradually withdrew, circulating along a certain pattern. Even his restless sea of consciousness seemed to calm down during the cultivation process, which differed significantly from the wild and savage nature amplified when he practised the ox demon and tiger demon’s fists.

Suddenly, he understood something. The various abilities influenced his mind. The Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression was for nullifying the effects of the ox demon and tiger demon.

The spirit turtle was a divine beast among the legends. Its four feet were as colossal as pillars that could hold up the sky; they were like four stabilising poles, able to calm the waves of the oceans, subduing the billows. Although spirit turtles possessed tremendous power, they had extremely gentle natures. Just like old, meditating monks, they were extremely patient and never tried to attract attention.

As long as he reached the first layer, he could withdraw his aura like spirit turtles, concealing his daemon qi and suppressing the ox demon and tiger demon. That way, he could become a human again. However, speed with practising this ability was just like a spirit turtle’s nature. Progress was extremely slow. He estimated that if he wanted to reach the first layer with the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression, he would be working with years at the very least. Even a conservative estimate would be around a decade. It was even possible for him to take up to two or three decades.

Although it was much faster than undergoing the heavenly tribulation and becoming a Daemon General, it was still depressing. However, what could he do? The cultivation of daemons would always be calculated using centuries. If you had not even been cultivating for a few hundred years, it would even be awkward to meet people. Given his current circumstances, all he could do was prepare for a long battle.

Water crashed thunderously. Li Qingshan and Xiao An returned to where they cultivated last time, standing before the huge waterfall that fell several dozen meters. He planned on cultivating here quietly for some time. Since it was called the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression, he obviously needed water.

Li Qingshan’s ear twitched. He could vaguely hear singing.

He squinted his eyes. Through the white mist, there seemed to be the charming silhouette of a woman with her back to him. It seemed like she was bathing.

Will I have a romantic encounter like this as well?

As soon as Li Qingshan thought of that, he felt extremely strange. The waterfall was so loud. Even if regular people yelled at the top of their lungs, their voices would be drowned out by the crashing, yet the singing was just like a needle, piercing through all the noise with great clarity.

The force of the waterfall was so tremendous that even he could not directly stand below it in the past, yet the smaller figure moved through it easily as if she were showering. Her feminine stature faded in and out within the mist. It was quite the sight.

Li Qingshan was never about resisting temptations. He had to take a proper look since something so strange had presented itself to him. However, it would guarantee he would not have that great of a romantic encounter. He took a single step forward.

The singing suddenly stopped, and the young lady looked back, revealing a pair of jade-green pupils. She vanished into the waterfall.

Li Qingshan experienced an ill omen. He leapt forward recklessly, and only then did he feel a swift breeze behind him, along with a few stabbing pains on his back. His impenetrable skin had actually been sliced through.

Just as he was mid-air, about to fly into the waterfall, a slender hand grabbed his tiger’s tail and yanked hard. “Come back!”

Li Qingshan’s colossal figure was wrenched back. As it seemed, there were also times when additional functions were a bad thing.

Looking back and seeing the person clearly, he could not help but blank out even with his willpower. The person that had grabbed his tail and pulled him back was actually a young lady, around fourteen or fifteen years of age, dressed in green clothes. She was now dressed, but with her large, startlingly green eyes, there was no doubt that she was the bathing lady from earlier.

He was not taken aback by her age or strength. Instead, there was an actual pair of cat ears on her head. A black, cat’s tail danced around behind her.

At that moment, his spirit as a nerd that had fallen silent for all these years actually broke through its seal, about to awaken once more. If he met this ‘thing’ as soon as he had transmigrated into this world, he probably would not have turned out like this.

If the feeling that Gu Yanying gave him could be described as dream-like beauty, then she was dream-like cuteness.

Li Qingshan looked at her and felt that he had fallen in love at first sight once more. There sure were a lot of wonderful things in this world! However, he snapped back to his senses immediately. A daemon that could assume a human form was a Daemon General at the very least. Compared to being carried away by his desires and fantasies, he should consider for his own measly life first!

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Chapter 89 – A Cat’s Pet

The cat girl looked at Li Qingshan as well. “What kind of daemeown are you? How strange!”

Xiao An leapt up; he arrived behind the cat girl and sprayed out his Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration. The white crescent moon imprint on the cat girl’s forehead unleashed a streak of light and nullified the flames. “And what kind of daemeown are you?”

The cat girl grabbed Li Qingshan’s tail with both hands. Using herself as a pivot, she swung Li Qingshan into Xiao An before throwing both of them.

Together with Xiao An, Li Qingshan smashed towards a rock face. Li Qingshan adjusted his posture and kicked off the rocks, landing safely with Xiao An. His perfect dream vanished completely as he gazed at the cat girl cautiously.

She was very powerful, at least as powerful as that Scarlet Hawk commander Wang Pushi! Thinking of Wang Pushi, he thought of Gu Yanying again.

Don’t tell me the cat she’s searching for is this! What kind of pet is this? It’s clearly an extremely terrifying cat daemon!

The cat girl did not keep attacking, as if she was not mad over being peeked on by Li Qingshan. Her jade-green eyes flickered as she said with pure curiosity, “Both of you are so strange!”

Li Qingshan said calmly, “What’s strange?”

The cat girl said, “You also have a human form, so you should have undergone a heavenly tribulation already, yet you’re so weak! How strange! I’ve never heard of a skeleton that can spit out fire either! How strange!” Although Li Qingshan had daemonified, which made his voice louder, his body and appearance were still roughly humanoid.

Li Qingshan shook off the dust and soil on him. “We’re just passing by, so please continue!” Without any hesitation, he turned around and left! He was rather reluctant, considering how something so moe that could only exist in his imagination had appeared right in front of him, but with his great wisdom and willpower, he immediately destroyed his heart as a nerd and made up his mind. He could not afford to be involved with this cat daemon. It was something he could not deal with just yet.

However, he learned very soon just how terrifying a cat that had its interest piqued, and a cat daemon at that, was.

“Stop! You’ve watched me bathe, yet you still want to run?” The cat girl hissed.

Li Qingshan ran immediately. He ran very quickly, sprinting away at full speed. However, he forgot about a certain warning. When he came across wild beasts, he was supposed to stop, or he would definitely be chased.

The forest receded rapidly as a blur. Li Qingshan did not dare to stop at all. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a bell by his ear. He turned his head, and all he saw was the cat girl running steadily by his side. A bell jingled on her waist.

“Meowhahaha, why don’t you keep running?”

Since he could not outrun her, there was no point in running anymore. Li Qingshan came to a screeching halt and asked calmly, “What do you want to do?”

The cat girl stopped as well. Her jade-green eyes swiveled around as if she were coming up with an idea. She circled around Li Qingshan. “Why don’t you be meowy pet!” She smiled from ear to ear in an extremely complacent manner.

“What?” Li Qingshan doubted his ears. Was she sick of being a pet and wanted a pet instead now?

“Big Blacko, how does that sound?” The cat girl leapt gently and landed on Li Qingshan’s head. She grabbed one of his horns and rubbed Xiao An’s head. “And you can be Li’l Whitey!” She moved extremely quickly, leaving behind a string of blurs. Her thoughts changed extremely rapidly as well.

Li Qingshan said, “Don’t you even think about it!” As a proud transmigrator, he would be embarrassing all transmigrators in the world if he were to become a pet, and a pet’s pet at that.

The weight on his head suddenly increased. The cat girl’s light body suddenly became as heavy as a mountain. Li Qingshan was pressed into kneeling on one knee, lowering his head.

“Big Blacko, I’m not negotiating with you.” The cat girl continued, “If you agree, you will receive countless benefits. I won’t treat you badly, but if you don’t agree, hehe, I don’t mind seeing how you taste.”

That alone demonstrated all of the ferocity and nature of daemons. She definitely was not as cute as she seemed on the surface.

Li Qingshan bared his fangs in a sneer. “What benefits? Cat food?” Before he could finish talking, a glowing pill fell into his mouth before being converted into surging spiritual qi in an instant. It filled his entire body to the point of almost exuding out.

Even with his body as a daemon that was countless times more powerful than before, he actually felt like he was unable to contain all of the spiritual qi. Li Qingshan used the mental cultivation method of the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression in a hurry, absorbing the spiritual qi and making gradual progress with the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. All of a sudden, he had shot through a portion of it. The spiritual medicine was so powerful than it was even several times stronger than the spiritual alcohol steeped from the spiritual ginseng.

“Did you steal all of these from your master?”

“What? I would never steal meowster’s things. These were all given to meow by meowster. I still have a lot more. What, are you interested?”

Li Qingshan finally understood how the rich could be so wealthy to the point where they were wasteful. He wondered who the Dark Queen was, as she even used these spiritual pills to feed her pet. She was basically as wasteful as people could get. However, if he really did have the support of such spiritual medicine, he would definitely be able to succeed with the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression very quickly and regain his human form. Then he could return to the world of humans.

It had to be mentioned that with reward and force combined, just like a carrot on a stick, it had quite the effect on no matter who used it and no matter who it was used on. Most importantly, he did not have the right to choose at all.

Li Qingshan said, “What do you want me to do?”

The cat girl did a backflip and landed gently in front of Li Qingshan. “That’s meowre like it. You’re meow pet, so of course you’ll do whatever I want you to do. Right now, I want you to take me away from the Green province!”

For a frog in a well who had never even left the surrounding regions of Qingyang city since birth, Li Qingshan was immediately stunned by this great ambition. “Where do you want to go?”

“To the Dragon province!”

“How do we go there?” Li Qingshan was rather perplexed. And where is the Dragon province?

“You don’t even know this? Follow the Boundless Meowntains all the way north. You’ll just need to cross around a few thousand meowntains.” The cat girl gazed into the distance, and her gaze suddenly became extremely distant. Her tender, cute face now possessed a romantic and weathered expression that only travellers had.

She was no longer anybody’s pet. She was as free as the wind.

Li Qingshan actually felt shocked. He took in a deep breath. “But you’re pointing south.”

“Shut up. Your meowster knows!” The cat girl became furious from shame, leaping up and kicking him.

Li Qingshan raised his arm to block, but it still ended up stinging. After a moment of consideration, he looked at the cat girl. “I can help you reach the Dragon province. You only need to pay me back with spiritual pills.” Although he was rather worried about Gu Yanying’s search, he currently had no room to decline at all. He could only attempt to benefit from the situation.

“Of course I’ll feed you. Oh right, what does Little Whitey eat?” The cat girl behaved like his master, acting like there was nothing wrong with it at all. Then she studied Xiao An with a strange gaze as if she were trying to guess what a skeleton would eat.

Feed? Li Qingshan decided to not haggle over these small details. “Oh right, and I’m not your servant.”

“You’re not meowy servant. You’re meowy pet!” The cat girl rubbed Li Qingshan’s cheek with a smile.

Li Qingshan’s body froze up. He breathed in deeply. “Anyway, that’ll be the deal between us. What’s your name?”

“My name is Xuanyue. You can call me meowster in the future!” Xuanyue placed her hand on her rather flat chest and made a self-introduction proudly. For some reason, Xiao An suddenly shuddered when he heard that name. The flames in his eye sockets wavered as his mind surged.

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Chapter 90 – A Cat of the Provincial Lord’s Estate

Li Qingshan could clearly sense his behaviour. He asked, “Xiao An, what’s wrong?”

Xiao An only shook his head in confusion.

Only then did Li Qingshan ease up. “Alright, Xuanyue. Tell me right now why you can’t go to the Dragon province alone. Bringing me with you will only weigh you down.”

“Call me meowster! I’m being chased, so I need to hide away from them.”

And you have no sense of direction. Obviously, Li Qingshan could not say that. Her answer was exactly what he was expecting. To be able to send Gu Yanying to search for her cat, Xuanyue’s master, the Dark Queen, definitely possessed extremely great authority. Gu Yanying would not be alone in the search. However, since it was searching for a pet and not catching a criminal, the mission would seem safer. Even if she failed, nothing bad would happen to her. And, since this cat was bold enough to run away, she should have some grasp over the situation. In short, it was worth a gamble.

Li Qingshan was straightforward. “No problem, Xuanyue. However, I feel like we should tidy up first and come up with a proper plan before setting off.” He had an extremely deep impression of Gu Yanying’s terrifying senses. Perhaps she was observing him from the sky right now. Now that he had become like this, she might end up purging him as soon as she saw him.

A vein popped out from Xuanyue’s forehead. “I said to call me meowster!”

“Did you, Xuanyue?”

“Meow!!!” Xuanyue’s tail straightened out. She finally lost her temper.

Li Qingshan grabbed Xiao An who was about to fight back and let her kick and pound him. He just gritted his teeth. He discovered that while she was extremely fast, her strength was not particularly great, so he could endure her kicks and punches.

Xuanyue vented her anger, but she was not heavy-handed. After all, she still needed to depend on Li Qingshan for many matters, so she just said coldly, “Come with me!” She led Li Qingshan back to the waterfall before grabbing him and charging at the waterfall.

They passed through the curtain of water and were about to hit the rock face. However, just when Li Qingshan thought he was going to crash, the thick layer of rock ended up being an illusion. He passed through it harmlessly.

It was actually hiding something, an extremely large cave. Looking at the traces of chipped rock, it had clearly been dug out recently. As it seemed, she had been hiding here.

The place that the black ox chose for Li Qingshan to cultivate was truly a wonderful spot.

Xuanyue pulled out a small banner from her bell. Her cat bell was actually a storage bag.

Are you doraemon? Li Qingshan was dumbfounded. And from how the small banner shimmered with light, hiding most of its wonders, it was clearly an extremely rare spiritual artifact.

Xuanyue planted the banner at the entrance, and it immediately sealed up the cave firmly. Not even a single strand of spiritual qi or daemon qi could escape.

Afterwards, she removed many more things from her bell. First, she pulled out a thick mat made from the furs of some unknown animal and laid it down. Subsequently, she pulled out a small table, followed by some delicate utensils sculpted out of either ivory or jade.

She could evidently see in the dark, but she just had to pull out a lantern. The lantern did not glow from fire, but from a fist-sized pearl. With its hazy glow, it illuminated the entire cave, but it was not dazzling at all.

In the end, she pulled out an incense burner shaped like a crane, which gradually released a wondrous fragrance.

All of these items glowed. Under the illumination of the pearl, even the circulation of Li Qingshan’s qi became slightly faster. When he caught a whiff of the fragrance, he felt his mind ease up, and his head became much clearer.

Not a single item here could be measured using money. She was no pet. She was basically a princess. So much for being a refugee, she had actually prepared to such a level. She was just too extravagant.

Xuanyue sat down on the thick mat and pulled out a thick, snowy-white fillet. “It’s time to eat!” She did not even use the delicate utensils, directly using her hands and burying her face in it.

Li Qingshan watched in utter shock. Even the fish fillet glowed brightly.

Xuanyue glanced at him. She thought about how she was always very capricious in front of her master, but her master would always be very tolerant of her. Thinking about how she herself had been elevated to her master’s level now, she probably should learn from her own master, so she said in a reserved manner, “Big Blacko, I’ll give you this to eat.” Forgiving Li Qingshan’s capriciousness with great tolerance, she felt proud of herself once again.

Big Blacko? Can’t I have a proper name for once? Li Qingshan thought. However, he did not want to reveal his real name either in his current state. So be it, Big Blacko it is! He accepted a piece and began eating as well.

He did not stop at all during the process. Although the fish fillet was raw, it was extremely delicious. It would melt as soon as it touched his tongue, surpassing anything he had eaten in the past. And when he swallowed it, his daemon qi would gradually grow. It had the effects of spiritual medicine.

Originally, he could eat an entire deer, and he would often not feel particularly full. However, from just the piece of fish today, he felt his stomach swell. “Just who is this Dark Queen? Doesn’t she treat you well?”

Xuanyue glanced at him in contempt first before saying with great reverence, “There’s no one in the world who will treat Yue’er better than meowster. She’s beautiful, noble, and powerful. When I first met her, I was not even a daemeown. She was the one who fed me so meowny, so meowny spiritual pills and meowdicines.”

“And you’re still running away?”

“Don’t interrupt me!” Xuanyue glanced at Li Qingshan in displeasure. Her eyes widened to a surprising level as she propped up her cheek. “But, she’s just too clingy. She hugs meow all day, without even letting me go when she sleeps. Tell meow, how can I endure that?”

Li Qingshan thought, If the Dark Queen is as noble and beautiful as you have described her to be, I’d be utterly overjoyed if she treated me like that. Then he glanced at Xuanyue. I can even accept you.

“Forget it. Even if I tell you, you won’t understand. I can tell you’re quite smart, not as dumb as regular daemeowns, but you won’t be able to understand such deep and complicated emeowtions. Freedom, do you understand that word?”

Xuanyue muttered to herself with no intention of letting Li Qingshan reply. Her cat ears perked about.

Li Qingshan still managed to find the information he was searching for from the narcissistic monologue. In the entire Green province, probably only the wives of the provincial lord had the right to be referred to as a queen. She was a queen of the Fierce King of Chu.

The authority of the provincial lord spanned all fifteen thousand kilometers of the Green province. Xuanyue had escaped from the provincial lord’s estate, so all she could do was flee to other provinces.

Li Qingshan recalled the map of the Green province. “The provincial’s lord estate is in the south. Why did you come to the north and not travel further south?”

Xuanyue said, “What would you know? The Mist province in the south is all wilderness. Am I supposed to go there and starve? The Dragon province is the good place. That’s where the imperial court resides. There are pavilions and palaces, extravagant luxuries that a country bumpkin of a daemon like you can’t even fathom.”

Li Qingshan said, “Even if there are those things, no one will give them to you.” Do you think you’re a panda, where you can survive in this world just by acting cute?

Xuanyue said, “What would you know? I’m seeking refuge under the Nine-tailed Fox Empress. That’s the leader of the ten Daemeown. She’s beautiful, noble, and powerful…”

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Chapter 91 – The Soaring Dragon Elder

Li Qingshan curled his lips. He had almost been fooled by her. What seeking freedom? She was clearly just indolent, seeking an even more extravagant life. When he wanted to ask about the Nine-tailed Fox Empress and the Ten Daemon Kings, she had already changed the topic, returning to how cute she was; this was the reason why the Nine-tailed Fox Empress had chosen her, inviting her to the Dragon province. Xuanyue forbade Li Qingshan from interrupting her.

She continued until she became sick of it. “It’s quite late now. Time to sleep!” She pulled out a huge cat’s basket that was filled with a thick layer of crane down. She curled up inside it comfortably.

Li Qingshan said, “It’s still daytime!”

Xuanyue waved her hand and extinguished the pearl. “Daytime is for sleeping. We’ll set off at night.”

Li Qingshan looked at her sleeping figure. Her long lashes layered upon one another, and her delicate nose was slightly raised from her face. Her lips were closed. Curled up, she seemed even smaller and more petite, lacking her usual rudeness and capriciousness. She seemed so delicate, rousing an urge to protect her.

He shook his head violently. Now was not the time to appreciate beauty. She was not someone who needed his protection, nor was she someone he could pursue. From a certain perspective, she could even be regarded as an enemy. How could he be captivated by her? He needed to raise his guard!

Li Qingshan let out a sigh of relief and made eye contact with Xiao An. He felt that everything he went through today was far too weird. He glanced at the girl in the cat’s basket before making his way over to a corner of the cave to meditate, continuing his cultivation of the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. Xiao An also sat down beside him to meditate.

Xuanyue tossed and turned in the basket and said suddenly, “Big Blacko, sing me a song.”

“I don’t know how to!” Li Qingshan replied firmly.

“Then what’s the point of keeping you around!?” Xuanyue opened her eyes.

“Then let me go!”

“Forget it, I’ll teach you.”

Li Qingshan facepalmed, but before he could reply, Xuanyue began singing all by herself. “Little kitty, good kitty, go to sleep…”

The gentle singing filled the cave. Although it was extremely pleasant, Li Qingshan curled his lips. This was clearly a lullaby to coax children, so he thought the Dark Queen was probably some cat lover who treated a cat as her child. However, when she sang it, it was extremely beautiful, with a gentle, soothing feeling.

When Xiao An heard it, the blood-red flames in his eye sockets pulsed as his heart surged. Yet, there just seemed to be something blocking him, preventing him from understanding where this feeling came from.

“I’m done singing! It’s your turn!”

“I haven’t remembered it. Sing it again!” Li Qingshan thought to himself, I’m a man who stands over ten feet tall for heaven’s sake. I’m supposed to give off a violent, masculine impression, so how can I sing something like that?

“It’s so simple, yet you can’t remeowmber it?”

Li Qingshan said, “I’m a country bumpkin of a daemon. I’m dumb and stupid, so of course I won’t understand. I can’t remember anything.”

Xuanyue sang it again with no other choice, but it was just the same as before. Li Qingshan still could not remember it. Xuanyue wanted to throw a tantrum, but after a moment of inspiration, she held a spiritual pill with her two fingers and smiled. “If you sing, there’ll be spiritual pills to eat!”

“Little kitty, good kitty, go to sleep!” Li Qingshan immediately sang at the top of his lungs. Why wouldn’t he sing if there were benefits? He was just selling his artistic talent, not his body. Just like what the great leader had said before, the workers were the most glorious. However, his voice was deep, heavy, and hoarse, like resonating metal. Coupled with how he was singing at the top of his lungs, the lullaby ended up sounding like rock-and-roll.

“Stop singing! You’re so noisy!” Xuanyue tossed the spiritual pill into Li Qingshan’s mouth.

Li Qingshan sniggered. He swallowed the pill and continued to meditate and practise. He did not know the name of the pill, but every single one of them felt like they were able to remould his body completely. The effects were unbelievable. To ordinary people or even cultivators, these pills were probably extremely rare treasures. Now that he could get them from just yelling at the top of his lungs, it was basically a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Xuanyue lost all interest in sleeping from the ruckus he made. She asked curiously, “Just what is up with your appearance? Let me guess. Your meowther was a tiger and your father was an ox?”

Li Qingshan did not answer. It just sounded like cursing him no matter how he tried to interpret it, but thinking about it, she was an animal as well, so he endured it.

“Then your father is the tiger and your meowther is the ox?”

Li Qingshan reluctantly answered with a ‘yep’.

Xuanyue said, “It’s just like what I said. It’s no wonder you can transform when you’re so weak. So your parents are both daemons as well. They should be rather powerful daemons too. Oh right, where did they go?”

Li Qingshan answered calmly, “They’re dead.” However, he was thinking of the parents of his current life.

Xuanyue fell silent for a while. “I’m sorry.” After another moment of silence, she said, “Me too.”

Li Qingshan looked over in surprise. Xuanyue said, “Sleep!” With that, she turned her back to him and no longer spoke.

Li Qingshan sighed gently and suddenly began singing softly, “Little kitty, good kitty, go to sleep…”

Xuanyue’s cat ears perked up, and Xiao An listened quietly as well. For that moment, there were no other sounds in the cave.

Over fifty kilometers away, an old man with a sword on his back descended from the sky, landing on the Dragon’s Gate mountain. He looked at the ruins and frowned.

His peppered hair was tied up into a bun, and he possessed a neatly-trimmed beard. He had a pair of shining eyes, but their brilliance was hidden away, concealing his vitality.

His appearance was actually rather similar to the Soaring Dragon Swordsman consecrated in the Dragon’s Gate sect, but he had stopped being the penniless swordsman of the jianghu a long time ago. Instead, he was the Soaring Dragon Elder of the Sword Collection palace.

He closed his eyes to sense the surroundings, and his frown grew deeper. The Peachwood Prayer Sword he left behind had actually failed to kill the enemy?

The Peachwood Prayer Sword was a secret technique of the Sword Collection sect. It required a peachwood sword to be offered incense and candles constantly, without missing a single day. Over days and years, it would gather a tremendous amount of power of thoughts and belief. It would be unstoppable once used.

The Soaring Dragon Elder decided to put this matter aside for now. The Dragon’s Gate sect was only a legacy he had left behind out of pure coincidence when he roamed the world of mortals back then. In the blink of an eye, a century had passed already, and he did not care too much about it either. He could just deal with the important matters first and then find that person and end his life with a stroke of his sword.

Just when he was about to set off, his eyes suddenly narrowed. He gazed over swiftly and saw a white figure descend from the sky.

Gu Yanying smiled. “Soaring Dragon Elder, long time no see.” However, she was not smiling inside at all. The Sword Collection palace had actually sent out a Golden Core elder. The matter truly was a little troublesome. The two queens of the Green province, the Dark Queen and the Light Queen, had become complete enemies now, and the Light Queen originated from the Sword Collection palace. Whenever they would get the opportunity, they would never let the other have it easy.

The Soaring Dragon Elder said, “So it’s commander Gu. Why have you come to such a remote place?” He was also wary. Out of the various White Hawk commanders of the Green province, she was the most difficult to deal with, and she had a close friendship with that ghost woman, the Dark Queen. However, her backing just happened to be powerful as well, so he could not afford to simply fall out with her.

Gu Yanying said, “I’ve come to handle a small matter under the Dark Queen’s request, but I never thought I’d come across the Soaring Dragon Elder. I’d like to invite you to a drink.” She made up her mind with a single thought. As long as she could keep this old man busy, she would just let that cat escape to the Dragon province. Over all these years, the cat had already made more than enough trouble for her. She really did not want to see her again.

However, out of consideration for the Dark Queen’s feeling, she could not help but sigh heavily again. Once that happened, she could only get her father to negotiate with the Nine-tailed Fox Empress.

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Chapter 92 – Northbound

“I don’t have the leisure, but thank you for the offer, commander Gu!” The Soaring Dragon Elder was about to ride away on his sword.

With a flash, Gu Yanying blocked his way again. Her smile had already vanished. “Soaring Dragon Elder, you’re already so elderly, so why must you be so vicious against a cat? Ever since the Dark Queen lost her child, she has comforted herself with the cat. Does the Sword Collection palace really plan on waging war against the Umbral Yin sect?”

“Every single generation of our Sword Collection palace has had the mission of purging demons and daemons. All demons, daemons, ghosts, and monsters deserve death!”

The Soaring Dragon Elder said resolutely. He had come to kill the cat daemon, which would destroy the willpower of that ghost woman. And, the cat daemon should be carrying a large quantity of spiritual pills on her; she might even have arcane artifacts. It was tremendous wealth, so how could he simply let this opportunity slip by?

Before he had come, he had made the Divining Elder perform divination. The divination told him that it would all be smooth sailing, and he would be able to settle a grievance through this as well. He basically had complete confidence in succeeding with what he had set out to do.

At the end of this, the provincial lord himself would come out to mediate the two parties. The Umbral Yin sect did not necessarily have the resolve to wage war against the Sword Collection sect either, and why would the two human sects start a war over a single cat daemon?

Gu Yanying’s expression changed. There was a flash of golden light in her eyes, and she sneered. “Since the Sword Collection palace is so impressive, why don’t you go dragon slaying in the Ink sea and go kill the greatest Daemon King of Green province? You all just harass the weak while fearing the strong.”

The Soaring Dragon Elder said, “Our palace master has his plans for that.” Before he had even finished talking, he fused with his sword and shot off as a streak of light. He pierced through the air, moving as fast as lightning.

The golden light in Gu Yanying’s pupils vanished. After hesitating, she did not end up interfering. She only sighed gently. The sword techniques of the Sword Collection palace pursued the utmost limits of the path of the sword and nothing else. Their offensive power was extraordinarily refined. Their strength greatly exceeded what regular Golden Core cultivators could handle.

Unless she had run out of choices, she really did not want to clash with him. Now, all she could do was find the cat before him. She could only hope that her Six Trigrams Divination would work a little, and that Mo Yu could help her out.

In the Boundless mountains, she would know as soon as possible whenever a daemon spotted the cat, so finding her faster than the Soaring Dragon Elder should not be a problem.

After who knows how long, when Li Qingshan opened his eyes again, the cave was pitch-black. The lovely mat and the delicate incense burner had all vanished. It was empty. Everything that happened during the day seemed so surreal.

The waterfall thundered right beside him through the moist air and moonlight. It also seemed strangely tranquil at the same time.

He called Xiao An and made his way out, passing through the curtain of water. A shining moon hung in the sky. Xuanyue sat on a boulder as she looked at the moonlit night. She was enveloped in moonlight as the crescent moon on her forehead glimmered. She suddenly looked back and smiled. “Big Blacko, you’re awake! Let’s set off!”

Li Qingshan blanked out and nodded. Afterwards, she suddenly appeared on Li Qingshan’s head. Her afterimage remained where it was without dispersing even after quite a while.

“What’s this?” This could not be achieved with speed alone.

“It’s Shadow Displacemeownt, you dumbo!”

The voice originated from the top of his head, but when Li Qingshan looked at his reflection in the water, he failed to see her. “And this?”

“Moon Concealmeownt, you dumbo!”

Li Qingshan abruptly understood. It was no wonder that she could flee so far away despite the encirclements, pursuits, obstructions, and interceptions. With instantaneous movements and concealment combined, not a lot of people could catch her. “Can’t you just hide yourself and head north alone?”

“Once I use daemeown qi, I’ll be discovered. Otherwise, why would I take you with meow? Are you going or not?” Xuanyue said impatiently.

Li Qingshan leapt out of the water, gaining his bearings before heading north.

The Boundless mountains were like a huge dragon, stretching from the south-west to the north-east. It spanned thousands of kilometers, and it was filled with dense forests and dangerous cliffs. It was a restricted zone to humans.

Li Qingshan had gazed at this mountain range for over a decade, yet this was the first time he had ventured so deep into it. The vegetation was thick. Towering trees spanned as far as the eye could see. The crowns that reached towards the sky wove together firmly, hiding the sky. Only because the trees were bare from the winter that some rays of moonlight managed to make it through them. It seemed even more serene and quiet.

As he was afraid of making too great of a disturbance and being discovered, which would affect their plan of escaping, Li Qingshan did not walk particularly fast. However, due to his enlarged size, he would easily traverse several meters with each step, so he was not particularly slow either.

Although he was a nerd who had remained holed up indoors in his previous life, he had yearned for the life of a traveller from time to time. In his current life, this dream finally came true, even though it was rather strange how it came true. He admired the scenery of the mountains as he travelled, so he did not feel bored.

He was not bored, but Xuanyue was bored out of her mind. She constantly mumbled to herself, “You’re so slow! You’re so slow!” She would leap from the top of his head to his left shoulder, and then to his right shoulder, squeezing on with Xiao An and teasing him.

Xiao An disliked her behaviour very much, so he also fled from her on Li Qingshan. The two of them were very light, but to Li Qingshan, they still felt like two monkeys dancing around on him. After a while, he lost his patience. “Both of you, settle down!”

“How dare you talk to your meowster like that! Xuanyue smacked Li Qingshan’s head.

Li Qingshan roared out and suddenly sped up, rushing forward with startling speed.

“Dumb Big Blacko, forget about it. I won’t bully you anymore.” Xuanyue rubbed Li Qingshan’s head and giggled. Her bell-like laughter rang through the forest.

When she was bored, she would search all over Li Qingshan. Very soon, she discovered the Cursive Sword Calligraphy hidden in his thick, scarlet hair.

Before Li Qingshan could stop her, or perhaps any attempt at stopping her was useless anyway, she had unfurled the painting scroll. There was a flash of light, and Xuanyue leapt in fright from the sword moves and sword intent. She patted her chest to calm herself down and played around with the Cursive Sword Calligraphy. She was just like Li Qingshan when he originally found it, also confused by it. “You even have something like this! This is a spiritual artifact that only humeowns can use! You’re pretty meowsterious.”

Li Qingshan said, “That’s mine.”

“What’s yours is also meowne. Speaking of which, who would ever want a low quality thing like this? You have no idea how meowny arcane artifacts and treasures your meowster has seen. It’s just a spiritual artifact.” Xuanyue returned it to Li Qingshan with a swing of her hand before playing around with the scholar wood tablet. The edges of the wooden tablet had already become burnt, so it did not seem very special at all. “And what’s this? It doesn’t have any spiritual qi at all? And the craftsmeownship is so bad as well. South An, what does that meowan?”

Since when did she grab it!? Li Qingshan checked his waist, and as expected, it was empty. Before he could even say anything, Xiao An had already extended his hand to steal it back. Xuanyue would never let him succeed, so she dodged him with a slight twist. Xiao An did not give up, so Xuanyue immediately dodged Xiao An a few more times.

“You didn’t become so frantic even when I grabbed that spiritual artifact! Tell meow what this is for, and I’ll give it back to you!”

Li Qingshan stopped Xiao An. “That’s a promise.”

“What promeowse?” Although Li Qingshan was reluctant to tell her, he knew she would never give up until her curiosity was satisfied. “I promised to send him home. His home is in the south.”

Xuanyue was surprised. “I couldn’t tell, but you’re quite nice to your pet!”

“He’s not my pet!”

“Take it!” Xuanyue tossed the wooden tablet to Xiao An, and he stowed it away preciously. Then she leapt onto Li Qingshan’s head and protracted her claws, carving something onto his horn.

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Chapter 93 – The Depths of the Boundless Mountains

“What are you doing?” Li Qingshan knew that his pair of ox horns were even tougher than steel. Now that they Xuanyue carved at them, he felt all of the bones in his body shake. It was both numbing and itchy.

“Don’t move!” Xuanyue said.

As a result, Li Qingshan moved like his life depended on it. He even extended his hand towards his head to grab her, but she was extremely agile, so he could not grab her at all. A while later, she said, “Alright!” Afterwards, she took out a bronze mirror and shone it at Li Qingshan.

All Li Qingshan saw were two characters engraved on his left and right horns, ‘North’ and ‘Moon’.

“I’ll add some colour and meowke it stand out a bit meowre. That’ll be our promeowse!” Xuanyue snickered.

“You can go die!” Li Qingshan was utterly furious.

When the sky began to light up, they found a natural cave to rest in.

Li Qingshan extended his hand with a cold face. “Spiritual pill!”

Xuanyue smiled. “Be good, don’t be angry. Here, open your mouth!” She held a spiritual pill between her fingers, refusing to place it in Li Qingshan’s hand.

The two of them stared at each other. A while later, Li Qingshan opened his mouth and suddenly bit at her hand. His long, pale-white teeth were sharp like knives. Let alone her slender wrist, he could even bite through steel.

Xuanyue reeled her hand back, but all Li Qingshan bit down on was the spiritual pill. Afterwards, she rubbed Li Qingshan’s head. “How vicious!”

Li Qingshan ate the spiritual pill and meditated by himself, continuing the cultivation of the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. Aside from that, he would hold the mirror and examine the two words etched onto his horns, constantly groaning and sighing to himself. He wondered whether he could remove it.

Right now, he had no idea that the two engraved words did not represent just a promise, but the name of a great Daemon King.

As a result, for the next few days, the three of them rested during the day and travelled at night. Whenever she was bored, Xuanyue would take joy in toying around with Li Qingshan. Although Li Qingshan resisted, it was useless. He could only accept it in the end.

As long as his source of spiritual pills never rang out, his cultivation would grow day by day anyway. Was he supposed to be afraid that there would not be a day when he would reverse the situation?

During these days, Li Qingshan had also learnt a lot about daemons from Xuanyue. Daemons who had yet to condense a daemon core usually had low intelligence. They could only be regarded as powerful wild beasts known as daemonic beasts. Only when they condensed an inner core could they be regarded as daemons.

Daemons also had divisions, just like humans, and it was based on the heavenly tribulations they had undergone. They would be Daemon Generals after the first heavenly tribulation and Daemon Commanders after the second heavenly tribulation. Only when they had undergone the third heavenly tribulation would they be called Daemon Kings. That was the level of the Ten Daemon Kings.

The ten Daemon Kings all ruled over their own regions, and they had countless Daemon Commanders and Daemon Generals under their command. Although the division of their territory was slightly different from the human administrative divisions, there was some resemblance. The Daemon King of the Green province was the Dragon King of Ink Sea.

Xuan Yue was a daemon who had reached Daemon General. She had already become so powerful despite having just stepped into the domain of the powerful in this world. Li Qingshan struggled to imagine just how powerful Daemon Commanders and Daemon Kings who were even greater than her would be. His heart felt like it had been set alight. Whether he be a human or a daemon, he just wanted to be the strongest. Only then would he avoid being tread on by others.

Currently, Xuanyue hummed to herself as she stood on Li Qingshan’s head, holding onto his two horns and looking into the distance.

Li Qingshan could not help but imagine a sight where he held her in his hand and listened to her gently refer to him as ‘master’. His lower abdomen was set alight once more, but it was not all fighting spirit.

With his lofty ambitions, Li Qingshan was surging with the flame of desire. Just as he was in the middle of his fantasy, a fishy gust of wind swept over from the treetops. A huge mouth lunged towards him, but Xuanyue, who was currently hidden away, was directly in its way. She casually swung her hand. “Your reaction is too slow!” She produced a silver arc in the air.

A snake head the size of a water jar fell down, and blood sprayed everywhere. It was actually a huge python hidden in the woods.

Li Qingshan avoided the blood and raised his head to see the snake’s body coiled around the tree. It was several meters in length and coloured just like the bark. He would have never discovered it if he had not looked carefully. He felt like he was living through the movie ‘Anaconda’. Although he had seen many strange things in the past, he still could not help but sigh in amazement. The world actually possessed such strange, terrifying creatures. If it made it to a human village, it could easily slaughter all of them.

Li Qingshan could sniff daemon qi from the snake’s body, so he knew this was a so-called daemonic beast. He had read his share of wuxia novels in the past, so he immediately climbed up the tree to retrieve the snake’s gallbladder. Only then did he discover just how tough the snake’s skin was. Even without the support of daemon qi, it took him quite some effort to get through it. He could imagine just how terrifying this daemonic beast was when it was still alive. Unfortunately, it had chosen the wrong target to attack, which was why it was slain in a single stroke by Xuanyue.

Grabbing the dark-coloured, fishy gallbladder, Li Qingshan swallowed it in one gulp with his eyes shut, ready to accept the pain of cultivation. Xiao An watched on with a shocked gaze.

“Why are you eating the venom sac?” Xuanyue asked in confusion.

“What! The venom sac!?” Li Qingshan’s expression changed. His darkened face turned even darker. His heartbeat sped up as the venom attacked his heart. Basically, Li Qingshan had never done something like removing a snake’s gallbladder even with his two lives combined, so how was he supposed to learn everything all by himself, becoming a survival expert just from transmigrating?

“Meowhahaha!” Xuanyue collapsed on the group in laughter when she saw how Li Qingshan collapsed on the ground from the venom. Then she fished out a round ball from the snake’s body and shoved it into Li Qingshan’s mouth. “Here. That’s the gallbladder.”

Li Qingshan’s entire body had already seized up. He swallowed the gallbladder with difficulty, and the venom only eased up slightly. Xuanyue took out a pill from her bell. “Here’s a Detoxifying pill!”

Li Qingshan laid there for a while, waiting for the effects of the pill to gradually kick in. Only then did he sit up. He said to the worried Xiao An, “I’m fine.”

Xuanyue took out another pill and gave it to him. “Here’s your reward!”

“What reward?”

“Because it was just too funny. You need to work harder in the future and make your meowster happy.”

As a result, Li Qingshan accepted the pill with a darkened expression.

Xiao An spat out the Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration and burnt the huge python very quickly, basically avenging Li Qingshan.

The blood flames burned away all of the python’s flesh, only leaving behind a set of bones. It circled through the air and returned to Xiao An’s mouth. The vitality of these daemonic beasts was powerful and vigorous. Even the vitality of a hundred people could not match a single beast’s, so it was extremely beneficial to his Path of White Bone and Great Beauty.

Xuanyue was stunned by the sight. “So that’s what you eat, Li’l Whitey!”

Li Qingshan saw all of this, so he thought of finding more prey for him.

As they ventured deeper into the Boundless mountains, the trees grew taller. Li Qingshan actually felt insignificant very frequently despite his stature that towered at ten feet.

The daemonic beasts they encountered along the way increased as well. Various types that had only appeared in legends and his imagination would be presented right in front of him.

Huge birds with wingspans of over thirty meters flew in the sky while wind and lightning crackled around them. Spiders as large as tables with a skull on their backs would spin webs as large as soccer pitches between over a dozen trees.

But fortunately, not every single one of them attacked. For example, there was a leopard that stood as tall as a grown man that observed them in the surroundings for a while before choosing to turn around and leave. Although they were not particularly intelligent, these daemonic beasts were better at discerning strength than humans. They were extremely cautious. They would never attack without careful consideration. They were not like the monsters in games. They were living creatures.

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Chapter 94 – Innate Ability

In a situation like that, Li Qingshan was reluctant to make trouble, but all of the daemonic beasts that were bold enough to attack Li Qingshan all possessed startling strength. Xuanyue became more and more cautious as well, no longer helping out so easily. She carefully concealed her daemon qi. Li Qingshan would often have to go through a difficult battle before he could head off again.

After the rounds and rounds of slaughter, he grew more accustomed to battle as well. Against these terrifying daemonic beasts, there were not a lot of moves or tricks. Most of it involved using strength against strength, forcefully beating them up.

However, they came across many daemonic beasts that were difficult to handle as well. It was all thanks to Xiao An’s Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration that performed outstandingly time and time again, burning many daemonic beasts to death. He was even fiercer than Li Qingshan. In the beginning, it was not obvious, but as time went on, the strength of the flames became clear.

Moreover, after burning several daemonic beasts to death, the Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration became more and more vicious as well. Wherever it passed by, it was unstoppable, overcoming the strong despite being weaker time and time again. It also made Xuanyue look at him in surprise again and again. She wondered what ability or technique he practised that was actually effective against all creatures of blood and flesh.

However, Xiao An could not speak, so she was unable to get anything out of him. Li Qingshan only said that he knew it right from the beginning. However, Xiao An was unable to remould his body from all of this. It actually seemed like he required humans as sacrifices, so there was nothing they could do about it. They could only wait until Li Qingshan had recovered his human form.

However, they never came across Daemon Generals or daemonic beasts with daemon cores along the way. It was not because of Li Qingshan’s luck. Most of the time, Xuanyue would suddenly order him to stop or change directions.

Daemons were similar to wild beasts. They had their own hunting zones, something regular people could not sense. Xuanyue could closely sense the changes and strength of daemon qi, which allowed them to avoid some dangerous regions. They would basically be travelling along the boundaries of the invisible territories many times. As for Li Qingshan, he handled the rough direction they had to travel in.

As they constantly stopped as they travelled, their relationship actually mellowed out a lot more, or in other words, Li Qingshan’s tolerance increased significantly. With his cultivation of the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression, he felt his restless heart gradually settle down. And this was all due to the spiritual pills and Xuanyue’s extremely cute appearance, which drastically boosted his tolerance, or in other words, he had no choice but to put up with all of it.

Of course, what prompted his cultivation now was not just in order to assume a human form. It was also the sight of getting a certain cat to call him master. Just like the principle of how braised meat within reach would always be better than a white crane beyond reach, he obviously moved down the priority of making Gu Yanying his wife. Moreover, Xuanyue was not just braised meat. She was basically a foodie’s feast. If the two of them stood right before him to choose, he would truly be troubled. He compared them to each other countless times, but he still had no idea how he would decide in a situation like that.

Just as the frog was still leaping along on the ground, it had already begun contemplating which crane was tastier, and it was even considering twelve different ways to eat a crane. As a result, Li Qingshan held high hopes for the future with these outrageous, lecherous thoughts.

Before he knew it, several days had passed. On this day, Xuanyue suddenly whispered into Li Qingshan’s ear, “Stop!”

Li Qingshan stopped in a hurry. He concealed his aura according to the guidance of the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. A series of heavy steps rang out from nearby. An enormous lizard, the size of a dinosaur, passed by in front of them.

If it were an actual dinosaur, Li Qingshan would not have been so afraid. However, the enormous lizard breathed out cold air as it walked, and wherever it passed by, the vegetation would be reduced to frozen statues.

What heavy daemon qi. Li Qingshan had learnt quite a lot as well. For example, he now knew how to use daemon qi to discern the strength of his opponent.

Once the ice lizard had passed by, Xuanyue asked in fascination, “How did you do that? How did you withdraw your aura so completely? Was that your innate ability? But you haven’t condensed a daemeown core yet, have you? Are you supposed to be a spiritual beast?”

“I don’t know. I can do it just from holding my breath.” Li Qingshan had already understood that daemons did not pursue various kinds of techniques like humans. Instead, they constantly developed their natural strengths, practising innate abilities. Although it lacked flexibility and change, it would usually be extremely powerful.

Innate abilities did not come with birth. They would only be awakened when a daemon core was condensed, and they would grow with the daemon’s personal strength, which could even lead to awakening even more innate abilities.

Shadow Displacement and Moon Concealment were Xuanyue’s innate abilities. They were extremely rare abilities for movement and hiding. She probably was not a regular cat daemon either, but some sort of spiritual cat.

“Hmph!” Li Qingshan’s insincere answer was not worth her attention. However, she never tried to probe any deeper either. Daemons were usually reluctant to tell others about their innate abilities. However, in her eyes, Li Qingshan became more and more mysterious.

Suddenly, a streak of light shot through the sky, and a gaze as sharp as a sword swept past the ground.

With Li Qingshan’s sharp vision, he saw the figure in the light with a single glance.

The Soaring Dragon Elder also saw Li Qingshan on the ground. “A Daemon General? But its daemon qi is far too weak!” Humanoid daemons were relatively more rare. “But what’s that?” He saw Xiao An beside Li Qingshan as well.

Li Qingshan made eye contact with the sharp gaze. He felt both afraid and startled, as if a sword was hovering right above his head, about to behead him in the next moment.

That’s a sword immortal!

Even though he had already seen Gu Yanying fly before, he was still filled with shock when he saw a real sword immortal of the legends. Was there anyone who had not dreamed about the freedom that came with riding a sword and soaring through the skies?

Afterwards, he suddenly remembered his current identity and appearance. He was a daemon. If the sword immortal descended from the sky, how was he supposed to respond?

Only when the streak of light passed by without stopping did Li Qingshan sigh in relief. The Soaring Dragon Elder believed he had more important matters to attend to, so he was reluctant to spend time on a ‘mere daemon’.

Xuanyue had even held her breath earlier. Only now did she speak. “Oh no, he’s from the Sword Collection palace. Fortunately, my Moon Concealment is powerful enough, or I’d be done for. Of course, you played a small part in all of it as well, so I’ll reward you a spiritual pill later.” She rubbed Li Qingshan’s head. If she had been travelling alone, she would have been discovered.

“What Sword Collection palace? He’s coming for you?” Li Qingshan felt an ill omen. This mission was even more dangerous than he had imagined it to be.

Xuanyue did not hide anything, roughly explaining the conflict between the Dark Queen and the Light Queen. Li Qingshan’s expression became even uglier. Even when he held the spiritual pill, he could sense how thorny of an issue this was. That was an important figure, renowned through the Green province. For someone as insignificant as him, even if he had several lives to spare, they would not be enough if he was dragged into such a vortex.

Xuanyue tried to raise his morale. “Don’t be so worried. As long as we make it to the Dragon province, he won’t dare to come for us even if he had twice the courage. Once that happens, the sky will be the cat’s limit! We’ll be able to do as we please! Meowhahahaha!”

Li Qingshan was not as optimistic as her. However, he had already embarked on a path of no return, so no matter how dangerous it would be, he could only gamble on it.

Suddenly, Xuanyue stopped smiling and said with sternness she had never shown before, “If, and I say if, we are discovered, go up and bite him, Big Blacko. No meowtter how he tries to slice you and kill you, don’t let go. I’ll use that opportunity to escape. I’ll work hard on my abilities in the future and avenge you!”

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Chapter 95 – Accidentally Trespassing a Rats’ Cave

“You’re shitting me. Is that something a person can say? Would you mind having a bit of conscience? Aren’t masters supposed to protect their pets?”

“I’m not a person in the first place. What’s conscience? Is it edible? Hehe, you’ve finally admitted that I’m your master!” Xuanyue grinned from ear to ear and coughed gently. “As long as you cry out, ‘Save me, meowster.’ I’d definitely protect you.”

Li Qingshan said, “I’d rather die than say that!”

Xuanyue said, “That’s not cute. You’ll be abandoned by your master.”

Li Qingshan said, “Then please abandon me quickly!”

They returned to their journey as they bickered, but Li Qingshan felt like a shadow had enveloped his heart. He became more and more careful with his movements, travelling through the denser parts of the forest as much as possible. Whenever he came across any daemonic beasts, he would avoid them to the best of his ability. He did not want to fight at all.

As his Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression progressed, his ability to hide his aura improved as well. Daemonic beasts with sharp senses would walk past him frequently without discovering him.

Xuanyue was glad that she had made the correct choice. She generously ‘fed’ Li Qingshan her spiritual pills, but due to her extravagant methods, Li Qingshan had a feeling that she wanted to plump him up so that he could serve as a better meat shield.

In short, they travelled peacefully for many more days. Xuanyue said, “We’re close to the Dragon province now.”

Daytime descended, and the three of them found another natural cave to rest in. It was not sealed off, instead extending indefinitely into the darkness, blowing with cold wind. Who knows where it led to.

Xuanyue laid in her cat’s basket to rest, while Li Qingshan and Xiao An cultivated together.

A series of rustling sounds came from underground. It became denser and closer.

Li Qingshan opened his eyes. Xuanyue had already gotten up, with her two ears perked. Clearly, she had heard it as well.

“There’s daemon qi!”

Countless eyes lit up in the darkness, all packed together. A series of soft, crunching sounds accompanied them. It was chilling.

There were daemonic beasts emerging from underground, and there were more than one!

Li Qingshan had already grown accustomed to this. He raised his guard with Xiao An, while Xuanyue concealed herself instinctively.

Rats emerged from the depths of the cave like a flood. Even with all the daemonic beasts Li Qingshan had seen, he still frowned heavily at this sight. However, this was only the beginning. The rats that emerged from the cave became larger and larger. Even the small ones were the size of dogs, while the large ones were like bears.

The cave immediately became flooded by a sea of rats. They were everywhere. The place was packed to the brim with various kinds of rats, and all of them gazed at Li Qingshan. The sounds of gnashing teeth merged together, resonating in the cave. It was frightening.

Li Qingshan remained composed and unafraid. The arch nemesis of these rats were right here, but afterwards, he actually felt Xuanyue tremble slightly behind him. He mocked with a subdued voice, “You’re actually afraid of rats?”

“T- they’re disgusting! What kind of place did you choose!? H- hurry up and kill them!” Xuanyue had never seen something like this in the provincial lord’s estate.

Li Qingshan said sinisterly, “Aren’t they your favourite food? They’re perfect for dinner! Hurry up and eat them!” If he had grudges, he wanted revenge. If he wanted grievances, he wanted to return it. As for where he did it, he probably had no choice in it. The size and strength of these rat daemons had completely surpassed regular rats. They had probably riddled the entire region with rat holes, so no matter where he went, it would still be an entrance to their home.

“I’ll eat you first!”

Before Li Qingshan had even finished talking, he felt an ache from his ear. Xuanyue bit his ear, but aside from the sharp pain from the teeth, he could feel her gentle lips and tongue. It was actually quite the experience.

Hold on, I don’t have interests like that! Li Qingshan shook his head. “Xiao An, unleash the fire!”

Xiao An had been waiting for this moment. He leapt down and sprayed blood flames everywhere, burning the rats.

The rats all squeaked sharply. The weaker, regular rats were reduced to ashes in a single instant, and their flesh and blood helped grow the fire. The larger rats were wrapped in flames as they lunged and tried to bite Li Qingshan. This only demonstrated the strength of their vitality.

However, the stronger their vitality, the more vigorously the Blood Flames of Corpse Incineration burned. With countless rats as fuel, the blood flames surged into the air, forming a fire snake in the cave that opened its mouth and bit at the larger rats.

Xiao An became more and more skilled with the use of his techniques. He had basically taught himself everything. Seeing their natural enemy descend, the rats all fled in fright.

Li Qingshan still felt lingering fear. It was all thanks to the strength of Xiao An’s technique, or they would have been swallowed up by all these rats, which would have come at a cost. In particular, the steel teeth of these rat daemons clearly could not be trifled with. Even if he won the battle, it would be utterly disgusting.

“Be careful!” Xuanyue released Li Qingshan’s ear and whispered into it. All Li Qingshan felt was a warm breeze, but before he could even enjoy the sensation, powerful daemon qi appeared from the depths of the cave.

Swish!

With a flash of yellow light, it penetrated the fire snake and struck Xiao An, launching him away.

“Xiao An!” Li Qingshan caught Xiao An in a hurry, but he saw how Xiao An had become riddled with cracks. Ever since Xiao An began practising the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty, his body had become even tougher than steel, which only demonstrated just how terrifying the attack was!

The yellow light seemed to be alive, making a turn in the air and shooting towards Li Qingshan. It was extremely fast such that it was impossible to respond in time.

Xuanyue extended her hand easily and caught the yellow light. She studied it and found it to be a round, yellow pearl. “A daemon core!”

The assailant was a daemon that had condensed a daemon core. With a great rumble, a rat the size of an elephant rushed out of the cave. Its eyes shone; clearly, it had developed intelligence. It stared straight at the ‘daemon core’ that something in the air had trapped before charging towards Li Qingshan with a squeal.

This was the first time Li Qingshan had clashed with a daemon who had condensed a daemon core. He immediately sensed its terror. His body basically sent him warnings constantly out of instinct, reminding him that he was not its opponent.

With a flash of yellow light in the rat daemon’s eyes, an earth spike suddenly burst from the ground below Li Qingshan’s feet. It happened right below Li Qingshan’s nose. The spike moved both swiftly and quickly such that Li Qingshan was unable to react. Xuanyue grabbed Li Qingshan and leapt into the air. After reaching over three meters, the spike finally protruded out completely. Li Qingshan gazed below him. He had already become covered in cold sweat.

Xiao An used the rolling blood flames to attack the rat daemon again, but the yellow light blocked it, preventing its advance.

The rat daemon squeaked a few times. In the air, the daemon core trembled more and more violently as the rat daemon desperately tried to take it back.

“Hold onto it!” Xuanyue casually tossed the daemon core to Li Qingshan. He grabbed it in a hurry, but he never imagined it would be so powerful. Even when he used all of his strength, it was close to escaping from his grasp. Even just now, the rat daemon’s ability had been so fierce and stealthy. If it managed to take back its daemon core, it would basically be unstoppable.

The spirit turtle suppresses the seas, suppressing all evil!

Li Qingshan suddenly began to use the Spirit Turtle’s Method of Sea Suppression. His daemon qi circulated furiously through his body, firmly suppressing the daemon core in his hand. Seeing how it had failed, the rat daemon charged over with a squeal. Its colossal, elephantine body moved as fast as lightning, without any sluggishness at all.

As the smelly air rushed towards him, Li Qingshan lowered his head and bent over. He used an actual Ox Demon Butts its Horns, ramming his horns into its pale-white teeth violently.

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Chapter 96 – The Great Rat King

With a clang, the teeth and horns collided, like a clash of metal.

Boom! The entire cave shook.

The rat daemon pushed Li Qingshan against the rock wall, and his legs plowed two deep tracks in the ground. Even with his strength that he took pride in, he was not the rat daemon’s opponent at all. Daemons with inner cores and daemons without inner cores were two completely different things. The ill omen in his heart peaked. He saw the rat daemon’s eyes shine with a crafty light as another spike protruded out from the wall, stabbing at the immobilised Li Qingshan.

Xiao An wielded his sword with both hands and swung it at the rat daemon’s neck, but its long tail swept him away like a steel whip.

Xuanyue attacked again. Her sharp claws produced four streaks of sharp light. Under the terrified gaze of the rat daemon, she easily pierced through the protective daemon qi around the rat daemon. The previously unstoppable rat daemon was cut to pieces, dying on the spot.

No matter how tough it seemed, it was still puny before Xuan Yue, a Daemon General that had undergone a heavenly tribulation.

Li Qingshan kicked aside the rat daemon’s corpse, and the daemon core in his hand no longer moved. He touched the wall behind him, and a part of it had already protruded out. If Xuanyue had acted slightly later, he would have suffered heavy injuries even if he survived.

“You’re far too dumb!” Xuanyue evaluated.

“If it weren’t for you, why would I have come to a place like this?” In total, Li Qingshan had only been cultivating for half a year so far, while the rat daemon was over a century old at the very least. Before absolute strength, it would never be easy for him to triumph against a stronger opponent.

Just when Xuanyue wanted to refute him, she suddenly sensed something. Her expression changed. “Let’s go! We need to change where we stay!”

Li Qingshan did not sense anything, but seeing how stern she was, he immediately grabbed Xiao An and left.

The cave trembled. The entrance that was originally several meters wide seemed to become alive, rapidly retracting together. As such, the cave was sealed off completely, where not even a ray of light could make it in anymore.

Xuanyue said softly, “Withdraw your daemeown qi. Then she concealed herself again.

Li Qingshan withdrew his daemon qi and listened as hard as he could. Sounds appeared from the depths of the cave again.

A huge rat emerged. It was actually standing on two feet. It did not even look at Li Qingshan, yelling out as loudly as it could with a strange voice, “The great rat king has arrived!”

Li Qingshan was dumbfounded. Not only did the fact that the rat could talk surprise him, but how orderly they were surprised him even more.

Soon afterwards, sixteen rats standing on two feet emerged from the depths of the cave as they carried a throne on a shoulder carriage.

On the carriage was a great big fatty. He even wore a glistening crown on his head, just like a king. However, he had a thievish, shrewd appearance, and there was a rat’s tail beside him.

Behind him were two female rats who seemed like maidservants, each holding a large fan.

Xuanyue found this hilarious, but Li Qingshan was unable to laugh at all. Having assumed a human form, this fatty was a Daemon General at the very least. And, the daemon qi that the rat daemons carrying the carriage gave off even surpassed the rat daemon from earlier.

The rat king said lazily, “Who has intruded upon my Black Rat mountain and killed my great general Whitefang?!” He completely ignored Li Qingshan who stood at ten feet right in front of him. If it were not for his overly-shrill voice, he did seem rather like a king.

A rat who seemed to be a eunuch cried out, “Great king, it’s him!” The rats all said together, “Wise be the king.”

As if the rat king had just spotted Li Qingshan, he studied him. “What kind of daemon are you?” He saw Li Qingshan’s humanoid appearance and became wary. Normally, only Daemon Generals who had undergone a heavenly tribution could achieve that.

However, he failed to sense any daemon qi from Li Qingshan at all, so he could not help but become even more careful. The mutilated body of the daemon rat on the ground seemed to prove his strength as well.

Li Qingshan could closely sense the changes in the rat king’s expression, and he suddenly understood why Xuanyue made him conceal his daemon qi. He could not help but admire her quick thinking. He said boldly, “I am the Old Daemon of Black Mountain.¹ Your great general Whitefang was far too reckless. He actually launched a sneak attack against me, so I’ve already killed him. Now that you’re blocking the way, do you want a fight to the death against me as well?” He even took a step forward as he said that.

It had to be mentioned that Li Qingshan’s stature as a daemon was extremely imposing. His ox horns were like spears, while his sharp claws were like blades.

The rat king shrank back, living up to the simile of as timid as a mouse. If Li Qingshan were a regular daemon, it definitely would have leapt at him and gnawed him to pieces, but he suspected Li Qingshan to be a Daemon General, so it immediately shrank away, giving up on avenging his subordinate. “It’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! May I ask which Daemon Commander do you serve?”

Li Qingshan never thought daemons would follow such a strict hierarchy, and they would even be protected by the daemon they served. Xuanyue gently whispered a name into Li Qingshan’s ear.

Li Qingshan said immediately, “I serve sir Mo Yu. He has specially sent me to the Boundless mountains to deal with some matters.”

The rat king showed deep respect, even leaping off his throne. “So you’ve come from the Ink sea. You’re an envoy of sir Mo Yu. Is it regarding that cat daemon?”

Li Qingshan was surprised inside, but he nodded on the surface. “Yes!”

The rat king said, “Haven’t we received orders already? As long as we see it, we will definitely capture that cat daemon. We won’t make sir Mo Yu disappointed.” Meanwhile, he thought to himself, No wonder he sent this person. He can hide his daemon qi so well, so he is suitable for tracking down someone.

Li Qingshan’s eye twitched. No wonder Xuanyue would be so careful deep in the mountains, constantly maintaining her Moon Concealment. As it turned out, it was not just humans. Even daemons were looking for her. As expected, she did not have anyone to rely on at all in the Green province. The dangers of this mission had completely exceeded what he originally imagined.

If she revealed herself right now and engaged in a chaotic battle, she would alarm all of the daemons in the Boundless mountains even if she were triumphant. They would all hunt her down, which would result in her escape attempt ending in complete failure.

Li Qingshan became more careful inside. He casually slighted him. “How ironic. You’re a rat, and she’s a cat. Aren’t you afraid of being eaten?”

Xuanyue pinched Li Qingshan from behind. Why would I eat something so dirty?!

The rat king said to the eunuch rat who was responsible for announcing his presence. “Tell me, what is this king’s nickname?”

The eunuch rat said, “The Cat-eating Mouse!” All of the other rats said again, “Wise be the king!”

Xuanyue gritted her teeth angrily as she made a full twist with her pinch of Li Qingshan’s back.

The rat king laughed complacently. He saw Li Qingshan’s face twist. “What’s wrong?”

Li Qingshan gritted his teeth. “Nothing! Keep an eye out. I have more important matters to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

The rat king waved his hand, and the cave returned back to normal, allowing sunlight to pour in.

Li Qingshan turned around and left. The rat king stroked his whiskers. “Why do I feel like something is off? This is the Black Rat mountain, so shouldn’t I be the Old Daemon of Black Mountain?”

The rats cried out, “Wise be the king!”

Li Qingshan left the Black Rat mountain and travelled several dozen more kilometers.

Xuanyue said, “I’ll have those group of damned rats fried in oil sooner or later!”

Li Qingshan growled, “Get off me!”

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1. The Old Daemon of Black Mountain refers to a character from a Chinese movie, who was then included in another Chinese movie, the more renowned fantasy-comedy, A Chinese Odyssey.

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Chapter 97 – The Ice Sword Cliff

Xuanyue widened her eyes and said, “How dare you treat your meowster so rudely!” Her eyes only grew larger.

Li Qingshan stared at Xuanyue. “You’ve never mentioned this before. You clearly hid it from me.”

Xuanyue avoided his gaze. For some reason, she felt frantic inside. She avoided the main point. “Haha, have I? You never asked!”

Li Qingshan sat and crossed his legs. “This is it.”

“What? Why don’t you say that again?” Xuanyue extended her claws and threatened him.

Li Qingshan said, “You have tremendous abilities. When you come across danger, you can use your Shadow Displacement to just walk away from it, but we’ll most likely die. If you want to kill me, then kill me. I don’t want to be used by you anymore. As long as Xiao An can leave safely, I don’t mind anything you do to me.”

Xiao An grabbed Li Qingshan by the sleeve and shook his head desperately.

Xuanyue said, “Do you think I won’t?” She swung down with her claws, as swift as lightning. Li Qingshan had decided on not trying to avoid it. His hide was no tougher than that rat daemon’s.

The claws stopped near Li Qingshan’s neck, only a millimeter away. Xuanyue’s chest heaved up and down. She turned around and said, “Hmph, I can’t be bothered killing you. If you want to leave, then leave! Do whatever you want!”

Li Qingshan looked at her deeply before turning around. He was just about to leave.

Xuanyue grabbed Li Qingshan’s little finger and said gently, “The Dragon province is close. We promeowsed!”

Li Qingshan turned around. All he saw was her looking elsewhere and not at him. The sunlight fell on her eyelashes, casting a shadow on her eyes that were as clear as lakewater. She seemed melancholic and fragile, which tugged at Li Qingshan’s heart.

After a long moment of silence, Li Qingshan answered her, “Fine then. I’ll send you off one last time, just to complete our promise.”

Xuanyue immediately cheered up. She stuck out her tongue and smiled craftily. “How easy to coax!” She did not seem melancholic and fragile at all.

Li Qingshan lowered his head, and his expression immediately darkened. Xiao An looked at Li Qingshan rather sympathetically.

“It’s a promeowse! A promeowse!” Xuanyue leapt around Li Qingshan complacently before jumping onto his head in the end. She urged him, “Let’s go!”

Li Qingshan glared at her viciously before continuing on his way.

It had been quite some time since he had travelled under the sun. The sunlight in winter was warm. Before he knew it, a very long time had already passed. He had grown completely accustomed to his body as a daemon now.

Xuanyue said, “There’s no need to feel ashamed! There’s nothing embarrassing about losing to my ultimeowte move!”

“Ultimate move?!”

Xuanyue said, “Actually, I’ve wanted to leave since a long time ago, but the Dark Queen always shows this expression, so there’s nothing I could do.”

Li Qingshan said, “But in the end, you still left.”

Xuanyue said complacently, “That’s because I’m rather cold-hearted!”

Li Qingshan said, “That’s not something you should be proud of! If you’re coldhearted to others, they’ll be cold-hearted to you too.”

“Really?”

On the Black Rat mountain, the rat king laid on the ground with his head completely buried in the earth. The quiet sounds from five or even fifty kilometers away reached his ears. Li Qingshan and Xuanyue’s conversation obviously failed to escape his ears.

Most of the innate abilities awakened by daemons were for attack or defence, but he knew the extremely rare ‘Earthen Auditory’, matching his prudent personality that was as timid as a mouse.

Suddenly, he pulled his head out of the ground and said with a face full of soil, “Something really is off!”

The rats said, “Wise be the king!”

“Cut the rubbish. Go chase them!”

Xuanyue’s ears suddenly perked up. “Oh no, they’ve come chasing. Let’s go!”

Li Qingshan swung his legs and took off in a wild sprint. He would leave behind a deep footprint whenever he took a step before landing several dozen meters away.

“You’re too slow!” Xuanyue found him to be too slow.

Li Qingshan said, “Why don’t you carry me and try?!”

Xuanyue fished out a spiritual pill and tossed it into Li Qingshan’s mouth before taking out a talisman. The talisman was not yellow as he had seen it before, but scarlet red.

The pill dissolved, and a light sensation rose up through him. Li Qingshan felt like his weight had halved. The talisman shattered, and a whirlwind wrapped around Li Qingshan. He felt weightless now.

Li Qingshan took a step and shot up into the sky. The sky was a dazzling blue, while the ancient forest stood below him. The mountains in the distance rose and fell as a curve. He felt like he was flying.

He looked back, and as expected, there was a cloud of dust rushing towards him. When he landed back on the ground, he had already adjusted his posture. Leaning forward, he took off in a straight charge. He would cross several hundred meters with each step. These hills no longer posed an obstacle to him. He would just leap over them.

Xuanyue laughed aloud as she stood on his shoulder. “Charge! Meowhahaha!”

The rolling cloud of dust swept over, moving with startling speed. Within the dust, the person at the front was the rat king. He stood on a wave formed from countless rats and spotted Li Qingshan immediately. He shouted out, “Stop!”

Xuanyue knew their cover had been blown, so she no longer tried to hide. She pulled a face. “Only an idiot would stop! You dumbo! Dumbo!”

Yellow light flashed through the rat king’s eyes, and a series of earth spikes stuck out from the ground. Whether it be their speed or strength, they were far more vicious than the rat general. Every single one of them would emerge when Li Qingshan was about to step on the ground.

Li Qingshan zig-zagged about, constantly changing directions. As soon as he had avoided a spike, there would be activity below his feet again. He roared out, “The Ox Demon Stamps its Hooves!” and stepped on the spike that had just emerged, pushing off it and taking off into the sky.

His foot ached, but fortunately, his feet had already turned into tough ox hooves, or his leg would have been crippled.

He reached an altitude of several hundred meters. The blue sky dazzled his eyes, and he no longer cared about the pain from his foot.

Xuanyue pointed at the horizon. “Big Blacko, Li’l Whitey, do see it? The Ice Sword cliff is right in front of us!”

An imposing ice cliff that spanned over a thousand kilometers crossed through the Boundless mountains as if a celestial had used an ice sword to split the dragon-like mountain range in half.

This was the boundary between the Green and Dragon provinces.

Hope suddenly sprang forth in Li Qingshan’s heart. He was like a traveller seeing his final destination, even though he understood that distances would often be underestimated. He knew that the Ice Sword cliff was still very far away.

However, he just had a feeling that if he could cross that ice cliff, he would definitely reach a place he had never set foot in.

When he lowered his head, all he saw was that the tough rock he was about to land on had turned into a region of quicksand that spanned several hundred meters. He sank heavily into the quicksand.

The quicksand spun like a vortex with a great suction force as if countless hands were pulling Li Qingshan into the ground. He felt like a declawed tiger. Even if he possessed tremendous strength, he was unable to use it at all now. The more he struggled, the further he sank.

The rat king used this opportunity to catch up in a single stroke. He laughed aloud. “You’ve fallen for my trap! Since you’ve looked down on me, I’ll make you all remain here forever!”

“Wise be the king!”

“Yowl!” A cat’s cry that was even more imposing than a tiger’s roar rang out. Xuanyue stood on Li Qingshan’s shoulder and radiated with powerful daemon qi. She stared straight at the rat king. “You’re the Cat-eating Mouse, aren’t you? It’s disgusting, but I’ll be trying the taste of rats today.”

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